REQUIEM I: Crimson Tide
by Kazie Solo
Summary: *COMPLETE* Feeling insignificant, Goten decides to start a new life. His transformation, however, brings about dire consequences, as the one man he trusts with his life turns against him. Hearts break, relationships shatter, and heroes die.
1. Prologue

_Warning:_

_This fic is set in an alternate universe. If you are not comfortable with having original characters running around as if they existed in the DBZ/DBGT world, then don't read. Also, this is one of my earliest works, so this might not be as satisfactory as my newest ones. Still, you're the judge._

* * *

**Crimson Tide  
**Prologue

_Earth, 784 AD_

He was dripping wet. The rain was falling hard from the heavens, soaking everything that the droplets came in contact with. The sky was dark and the air was cold, the raindrops falling like needles. His body because of shower from above, and because of the coldness of the air that made him feel stiff and uncomfortable.

But 17-year-old Goten Son felt another kind of pain, other than the one brought about by the rain and the cold. That pain came from deep inside his heart, affecting his very being --- and his very soul.

The moment he arrived at his brother's house, he slammed the door open. Lightning brightened the area for a few moments, making the older Son turn around to see who it was. At that, Gohan Son's raven eyes landed his little brother, who barged in from the rain, cold and wet. Before he could say anything, or go near him, however, Goten immediately popped the question he had so wanted to ask. The question he wanted to know the answer to, even if it meant walking in the midst of the pouring rain.

"Is it true?"

His older brother nodded in confirmation, and told him, "We're leaving."

Goten looked bewildered. His eyes darted around the area, seeing suitcases, bags and luggages all over the place. They were packed, and ready to go. What were they waiting for? Were they waiting for the sun to come out, so they could blast off to space in peace? Or were they waiting for him to barge into their house for a goodbye?

He looked back at his brother, who now had his back turned towards him. Goten could not help but ask him questions. Not only was he confused, confused at the sudden turn of events, he was shocked beyond belief. "What happened? Why so soon? I thought it wouldn't be for another year or two!"

That made Gohan sigh. "Callista's dead. If Videl won't take her place, Sabrea will fall, and the burden will be on Videl's shoulders. I can't bear to see her hurt because of that. And besides, this is her destiny. She was destined to rule, then so be it."

Goten swallowed, but nodded in understanding. However, part of him wanted Gohan to stay, as he did not want to be left behind.

After the older of the two demi-saiyajins managed to fix up the last suitcase, he turned to face his brother again, a look of surprise washing over his solemn face. It was then when he noticed, for the first time, what truly happened to Goten, who was already shivering from the cold. "Where have you been? You're dripping wet!"

"I was at Trunks' place. I came here as soon as I heard that you were leaving," he replied as his soft onyx eyes narrowed considerably, something hitting him hard. "Why didn't you tell me?! Everyone knew, but I didn't! I'm your brother, ain't I? You were planning to leave without a goodbye!"

The older demi-saiyajin shook his head, then he moved forward, hoping to enlighten his brother on what his reason really was. "I don't want to leave, Goten. You know that. Videl knows that. But we don't always get what we want. I'm sorry if I didn't tell you sooner, but I... I was afraid to hurt your feelings. I didn't realize... not telling you would hurt your feelings more. I'm so sorry."

They looked at each other in silence, searching each others' eyes, trying to explain by feelings because words just couldn't do it.

Then, Gohan gave his little brother a hug, and his sibling returned it with much affection. "I'm afraid, Oniichan. I am afraid to let you go. I'm afraid to carry on what you have started, because I know I won't be able to live up to your standards," he admitted before pulling away to look at Gohan --- his hero, his friend, his brother. "Look at you! You're a scholar. A hero. A fighter. A big brother. A father. A husband. A friend. I will never be like you." 

"Don't say that!"

"But it's true, and you know that! You're just to humble to admit all that you've accomplished!" he exclaimed, before sadness crossed his pale, handsome features. "Look at me. What do you see? A spoiled little brother who only cares about himself... and women. I've slacked off from training, and look what I've become. That's why I'm afraid, Oniichan."

"Oh, come on. I guess it is even right for me to leave. It'll teach you to be responsible," Gohan told him, patting his shoulder encouragingly. Goten's ears turned pink, and at that, the older Son burst into laughter. "It's not too late, Goten. You still have ample time to be who you want to be. You can go back to training, you can do some studying... it's up to you. You are in control of your life. Don't let what you see fool you. I may not be here anymore, but father is. Mother too, and count in Trunks. There's Vegeta if you need a sparring partner. Keeney is always there for emotional support. Don't feel too bad."

Goten smiled as he wiped a tear off. "Thanks. I needed that pep talk. So, where can I start?"

"You're going to Orange Star next year, right?"

"Yeah, anything you left that you want me to continue?" the younger of the two asked, but as soon as he let those words out, he wished he hadn't. His older brother smirked, giving out a mischievous smile that made his eyes fly wide open in utter horror. He instantly backed off, shaking his head. "Oh, no! No, please, _not_ Saiyaman!"

At that, Gohan broke into uncontrollable laughter. Ten years ago, all Goten would talk about was how great Saiyaman was. _Well, things change,_ he thought with much amusement, when they heard footsteps. The younger Son cocked his head to the side slightly at that to see who it was, and found himself staring at his sister-in-law, Videl --- the Princess of Sabrea --- leading a still sleepy Pan into the living room.

"Why, what's wrong about Saiyaman, Goten?" Videl asked him as her daughter rubbed her eyes. She then flashed the demi-saiyajin a mischievous smile, almost similar to the one her husband sported. "I thought you idolized him more than anyone? Or would you prefer my father, then?"

Goten immediately dropped into a low bow, ignoring the other's comment, and when rose, he had a mock smile on his face, his black eyes gleaming with a great intensity of mischievousness, matching the smile that his sister-in-law held. "A pleasant afternoon to you, Your Majesty. Your presence brings me such honor."

She wanted to smack him for teasing her, but that was when she noticed the streak of sadness just under the smile on his features. She then sighed and turned to Gohan, who handed her a handbag. For a few heartbeats they looked into each other's eyes, and at the conclusion of their little talk, she nodded in understanding, walking past Goten to open the door and head to the vehicle that would take them to Sabrea.

Outside, the rain had slowed down into a slight drizzle, and the sky had begun to clear.

One by one, Gohan lifted their bags until he had his hands full, then he headed out to load their luggage inside the spaceship. He was halfway through what he was doing, when he realized that his brother had not moved from his position. At that, Gohan jumped back down from the ship and went over to where Goten was.

"Goten?"

Goten turned around, his eyes brimming with tears. He lifted his head to look at his older brother, who was also in tears. Then, they hugged each other once again, knowing that it would be a long time before they could do so again. Videl, on the other hand, watched from the starfighter's ramp quietly, unable to stop shedding a few tears herself.

That was when Pan scrambled out of the ship, running towards her uncle gleefully. She then started tugging Goten's pants, trying to get the demi-saiyajin's attention. "Uncle Goten! Uncle Goten!" she called out, and as Goten picked her up, she gave him the biggest smile she could muster. "Buh-bye Uncle Goten! I'll miss you!"

"Be a good... girl, okay?" he told her between sobs, forcing himself to smile --- for her sake. "Don't... forget... Uncle Goten!"

"I won't forget you Uncle Goten!" Pan assured him.

Still in tears, the demi-saiyajin walked back to where Videl was and he placed his niece down. He ruffled her hair, and smiled. He then looked at Videl, who he hugged shortly after. "For being a good friend, a good wife, and a good mother. And a good champion of justice, of course."

"Goten---"

"Leave the ass-kickin to me and Trunks now," he told her with a loopsided grin, forcing his tears away and trying to hide all the pain he felt inside. There was no need for them to get all depressed; it was his problem. "After all, your time has passed. It's our turn to do what we can to help."

"No Saiyaman?"

"No Saiyaman."

"I know," Videl answered before hugging her brother-in-law once more. At that very moment, Gohan climbed up the ramp, stopping in front of his brother, who pulled away from the hug at that time, and handed a couple of keys to the younger demi-saiyajin.

"That's for the house, for the car, and for the vault. All yours." He patted him encouragingly on his back. "You'll do fine. Trust me. Everything's going to be all right. And stop looking like this is the end! We're going to meet again, of course. We'll be coming here for visits. And you can go visit us as well. So don't think of this as a big deal," Gohan assured, trying to cheer up his miserable brother. He didn't want to leave him, but... he _must_.

"You've been the best brother in the whole universe, and for that, I won't let you down. I promise."

Those were their final words to each other. Goten moved away from the ramp as the family entered the ship. The vessel's door then closed, ready for take off. He continued to stare at the departing ship, and when it disappeared into the sky, he sighed, looking at the keys in his hand. 

He clamped his hand into a fist, then stared up at the sky. 

"I won't let you down, Oniichan. I won't let you down."


	2. The Birth of A Supernova

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter One: The Birth of a Supernova

_Earth, 785 AD_

_"No! Don't leave me! You... You'll marry that Eduardo because your mother wishes you to?"_

_"Miguel, please, listen to me! I don't have a choice! I must follow my mother's wishes!"_

It was one of those lazy Friday nights when one just wants to sit down, relax, eat popcorn and watch a soap opera. That was what Goten Son, and Trunks and Keeney Briefs-Vegeta were doing. They were in the boy's apartment, sitting down, relaxing, eating popcorn and watching a soap opera.

However, Goten and Keeney were doing more than just watching the soap --- they were actually mimicking the scenes. The soap opera they were watching was funded by a Mexican company, and it was the soap opera that brought the eldest of the trio more fame and more fortune. He had been in showbusiness for nearly two years, and everyone knew that it wouldn't take long for him to do something internation, for he was quickly rising to his own glory.

_"You're going to be unhappy, Juanita! Even now, you are... how much more if you're going to be with Eduardo? He won't make you happy, mi amor(1)! He won't!"_ Goten mimicked in a high-pitched phony voice that sent them laughing. At least, Goten and Keeney --- Trunks' biggest fans who had seen the soap many, many times; many enough for them to memorize more or less all the lines their friend had in the series.

_"I know, Miguel. But... por favor(2), listen to me. Allow me to explain. I can't go against my mother, because she's fatally ill, and she wishes that I marry Eduardo!"_

_"Then let's elope. I'll take you away, far away! I can't let you marry Eduardo. Not ever,"_ Goten said, mimicking Miguel, the leading man, who was played by Trunks.

Keeney, Trunks' younger sister who was sitting by Trunks' left, moved closer to Goten and blocked Trunks' view of the television. With a singsong voice, she mimicked the leading lady, Juanita, played by a semi-popular actress who instantly fell for the purple-haired demi-saiyajin upon first sight. _"Why, Miguel? Why?"_

At that, their faces were only a few inches away from each other, and both of them --- to Trunks' amazement --- were dead serious, despite the fact that they were using phony and singsong voices to get the scenes done. He knew that if a talent scout would see them, they would immediately be given a soap opera of their own... comedy style, that is.

_"I love you, Juanita. I love you with all my life."_

_"I... I love you too, Miguel."_

They moved even closer to each other, their lips almost touching --- when a hand grabbed the remote control from Goten's hand, and the television instantly went off. The two froze, their faces barely an inch apart, and in perfect synchronization, a horrified look overtook their features as they turned to the older demi-saiyajin.

"TRUNKS!"

A not-too-happy Trunks was sitting between them, his arms crossed in front of his chest in the usual Vegeta fashion. His best friend attempted to grab the remote from the demi-saiyajin, but failed. He decided that it was best to just go on with what he had started to do --- to whine. "Trunks! Give that back! We were having fun!"

"Fun embarassing me, alright," Trunks grumbled. "You two never--- Hey!" he exclaimed as Keeney snatched the remote from him, as he wasn't paying attention to her. She turned the television back on, but only saw the ending credits roll. Their mimicking spree was over, as the episode came to an end.

Goten and Keeney slumped back into the couch.

"Great. Now you ruined it, Oniichan," Keeney complained, folding her arms.

Trunks rolled his eyes. "You've seen that a million times!"

"Actually, we've only seen it 934 times," Goten replied smugly.

Goten, when did you learn how to count?" Trunks asked, smirking. His best friend glared at him, and without so much of a warning, the younger demi-saiyajin tackled Trunks to the floor. Soon, the two warriors were in a brawl.

"I know how to count!"

"That's what I said!"

"Stop insulting me, Trunks!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot, you're a scholar."

"Shut your mouth!"

"Goten's a scholar! Heroic nerd!"

Keeney ignored the situation, eating the rest of the popcorn. 

After a few moments, the brawl finally came to an end. The two warriors settled back into their positions, which was as far away from each other as possible. Trunks then took the remote control and flicked to another channel, watching the program with a contented expression on his face. The apartment was then at peace --- but only for a few moments.

Until Trunks reached into the popcorn bowl to find it empty.

"Goten!" Trunks exclaimed, looking at his best friend accusingly. "Why did you have to eat all the popcorn?!"

"What?! I didn't eat all the popcorn! Maybe you did!" Goten countered.

"I did not!"

"Did too!"

"DID NOT!"

"DID TOO!"

"Then who did?!" Trunks managed to blurt out.

They then turned to look at Keeney, who looked at them with a strange expression on her face. She pointed to herself, as if asking, _"Me?"_ before she shook her head, her mouth still a big puff. That made the boys burst into laughter, but their spree did not last long, as Trunks' cellphone rang.

"Hello?" he began, signaling the others to keep quiet, and then, his eyes widened considerably. "_Really?!_ Okay, I'll be there! Tomorrow, 10 am. All right. See ya!" he exclaimed happily. He stopped the call, and he started jumping for joy. "Yes, yes, YES! YESSSS!"

"What's the news, Trunks?" Goten asked, excited for his best friend.

"They're holding an audition tomorrow, for Nineteenth Century Fox's upcoming film, _Dreams of Apocalypse_, and my talent manager wants me to try out for the lead role!" Trunks beamed." I'm finally getting the big break I've long been waiting for! I won't just be remembered for playing Miguel in the soap, I will be remembered for _Dreams of Apocalypse_ from now on!"

"Congratulations, Oniichan," his sister said happily, extending her hand.

The demi-saiyajin, on the other hand, shook it like a pro. "Aw, don't mention it," he replied, before he relaxed back on the couch as they resumed to watch the movie. A few moments later, however, he turned his head slightly to look at his best friend. He smiled as he got an idea. "Goten! Why don't you come with me? Who knows, they might spare you a little role in the movie! I'm sure they're gonna need an extra or something!"

"Are you sure, Trunks?" the other asked, hesistating. "I'm... kinda shy... you know."

"Goten, in showbiz, you can't afford to be shy! It's a whole new world full of glamour and splendor! Gorgeous guys like us need to be in showbiz to make those women drool at our feet!" Trunks said happily, but he was surprised how flat Goten's reaction was to the word _women_.

He sighed. Goten had changed a lot. After Gohan left for his wife's homeworld, Goten had gone back to rigorous training --- he even asked Vegeta a couple of times to spar with him --- and he even started reading books and studying. In fact, Trunks was very shocked to discover that Goten belonged to the top ten students of their class, and was getting very good grades --- like Gohan used to.

"Nii-chan, can I---"

Trunks knew what Keeney wanted, and so he jokingly replied, "No, you can't come."

She sighed heavily, expressing her annoyance, but then she smirked as she looked at the two. Afterwards, she crossed her arms infront of her chest, and pouted. "Fine then. I'll just have to eat the chocolate cake all by myself," she told them, a smile crossing her features as she saw their ears perk up with the words _chocolate cake_. 

Goten grabbed Trunks by the collar of his shirt and started whining. "Trunks! You _have_ to let her come with us! Chocolate cake! We can't afford to miss that!"

The female demi-saiyajin laughed at that, before she let out a yawn that made her rise up from her seat. "Now, now, you two. I was just kidding. I have rehearsals tomorrow, and I can't afford to miss that. Besides, I hate on-screen acting. I like ramp modelling better," she explained. She had been doing promotions for Capsule Corporation for as long as she could remember, and in one of those pluggings, a talent scout saw her and asked her to do a couple of other promotions. Now, like her brother, she was a successful ramp model rising to her own glory. "You two just enjoy and make sure that you get the roles you want!"

"What about the chocolate cake?" Goten asked hopefully.

"Don't worry, Goten, there'll be plently of chocolate cakes for you once you're a star!" Keeney replied with a wink, and then she ran to her room in the apartment --- where she sleeps over on Friday and Saturday nights --- before Goten or Trunks could catch her for tricking them into the chocolate cake deal. 

"Trunks, do you get paid with chocolate cake?" Goten asked. "Keeney said there'll be plenty once you're a star. Do they pay stars with chocolate cake? Trunks? Trunks?" He turned to see his best friend, already asleep, his head on the arm of the couch. Goten sighed and took the remote control, surfing through the different channels.

"Someday..." Goten told himself. "I'm gonna be a star."

"TRUNKS! HURRY! WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!" Goten bellowed as he sat on his car, waiting for his best friend to come out of the apartment. It had been hours, but the purple-haired demi-saiyajin still wasn't out. Heaving a sigh, he slumped back against the driver's seat. He knew what was taking Trunks so long --- he was making sure that he looked perfect for the audition. Goten heard him complain about a pimple and a freckle --- things he didn't have --- as well as his hair, his clothes, his shoes... and practically _everything_.

"I'm coming!" Trunks yelled from his room up the second floor, and after a few heavy footsteps, he finally exited the apartment, shutting the door behind him with much pride. "How do I look?" he asked Goten as he went in the car.

"Fabulous," Goten commented, now embarrased with what he was wearing. Just a plain white shirt, black sweatpants and sneakers. Trunks, in his white undershirt, dark blue jacket, denim jeans and funky boots, was simply gorgeous-looking.

_Girls will surely be drooling on his feet,_ Goten told himself as he started the car.

"Oh come on, Goten! Don't just give me a one-word description of how I look! I wanna know what my best friend thinks!"

Goten smiled, thinking of the best way to praise his best friend for looking _fabulous_. "Overall," he began coolly as the other got into the car, "you are preposterous and exorbitant. Your clothes are gaudy, your hair's ostentatious, and I'm sure you'll get the part without trouble because of your resplendent look!"

The other looked blank. "W-What was that all about?!? How dare you---"

His best friend laughed. "I just said you look fabulous and your clothes are splendid."

"Oh... _oh!_" Trunks exclaimed, finally enlightened. "You scared me for a while, nerdy boy!"

"Hey!"

"I was just kidding," the other replied, raising up his hands in a surrendering motion. "Don't get too worked up, geez!"

Goten forced a smile, but as he drove Trunks towards Nineteenth Century Fox's studio, he was in deep though. Trunks' name-calling was getting more and more serious --- not that he cared, really --- but he did not want to be associated with Gohan at all. He did not want to be associated with anyone for that matter, as he wanted to have an identity of his own. He wanted to be Goten Son, not Kakkarot's clone, not Gohan's little brother, and most especially not Trunks Briefs-Vegeta's sidekick.

"Here we are," he announced as he pulled the car to a stop in front of the studio. "You go on ahead, I'm just gonna park."

"Oh come on, Goten! We'll go together!"

"I'm serious, Trunks. You go ahead. I might steal the ladies' attention." Goten joked with a wink.

"Alright. But don't chicken out! If you're not inside by ten minutes, I swear I'm going to strangle you."

Goten's smile widened. "I wanna see you try. Now go! Good luck!"

"Goten!"

"I'm going, I'm going, trust me."

Goten's statement made Trunks exit the car. "Well, I expect my best friend to keep his word because I trust him! See ya in _five minutes_," the purple-haired warrior exclaimed as the younger warrior pulled away from the entrance. He shrugged, but as he turned around, he came face to face with his talent manager, Rufius Reinhardt.

"Trunks! Glad you're early today, the director wants to see you as soon as possible!"

"Blame my best friend, he drove me here," Trunks replied jokingly. 

"Ah, Goten, was that his name? You're lucky to have a friend like him, a sidekick to succumb to the bidding of his master."

Trunks eyes narrowed. "Now, now, Rufius, that's rude. Goten's not a sidekick as I am a master. He's not a pawn as I am King. He's my partner and my best friend, and I'm not higher --- or _lower_ --- than he is," he quickly blurted out, but Rufius noticed that Trunks definitely punctuated lower when he reprimanded him. 

Obviously, he was lying.

Trunks was a prideful young man, and Rufius knew that. Prideful and ambitious, ever since he met him. And even though Trunks said that Goten was his best friend, Rufius knew that Trunks considered himself higher than the other. And he also knew that Trunks did not feel that insecure to his fellow actors, but rather to his best friend.

After all, Goten was good-looking and plainly a girl-magnet. 

The young actor clearly feared that.

Rufius just smiled. "Forgive me, Trunks. I was just implying a point with one of my expressions. Now, we better go. Mr. Beaumont wants to see you right now."

The other casted a look at the parking lot, and smiled as he saw a black-haired young man walk towards them. "Wait, Goten's coming, let's wait for him."

"Hey Mr. Reinhardt!" Goten greeted, extending his hand. 

Rufius shook Goten's hand with much respect. "Ah, Mr. Son, it's a good thing you're here. You want me to stick you up for a minor role or something?"

"Well Mr. Rein---"

"That was exactly what I was telling him last night!" Trunks interrupted. "It would be cool if he'd get a part in the movie!"

"Maybe Trunks' sidekick or something," Goten said, smiling.

"I'll see what I can do," Rufius blurted out as he led them inside the studio, and towards the office of the director, Rexus Beaumont.

"Mr. Reinhardt!" Rexus exclaimed as he rushed to meet his friend. "You're early today! The audition starts at ten, you know."

"It doesn't hurt to be early, does it?" Rufius replied with a goofy grin. "So how's the screening going? I heard you started the auditions for the minor roles yesterday."

"We haven't done much, unfortunately. We're hoping to get the cast complete today."

Rufius smiled. "Wonderful! My client's friend wants to try out for a minor role, and I'm happy that there are still slots available."

"Why, bring them in!" Rexus said as he took the script from his table. When he looked back to see his guests, his eyes widened considerably.

He had found the perfect guy for the job.

He briskly walked towards the would-be superstar, extending his hand to congratulate him. "I don't know how good you are at acting, but I'm sure we can work on it! You're just perfect for the role! Build, hair, eyes, everything! Congratulations!"

Trunks extended his hand to shake Rexus', but his jaw dropped when the director merely went past him, and at the next moment, was busy congratulating the young man who stood behind the rising star.

_Goten_.

_(1) - "my love"  
(2) - "please"_


	3. Gains and Losses

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Two: Gains and Losses

Rexus Beaumont, director of the upcoming movie _Dreams of Apocalypse_, was busy shaking the hand of a tall, young man with pale, handsome features, soft coal eyes, and a sheepish grin on his face. Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, on the other hand, wasn't happy in any way.

"No, sir, you must be mistaken," Goten Son reasoned out as he pulled his hand away from the director. "I didn't come here for the audition, Trunks---"

"Now, now, my boy, there's no need to be humble! You're simply perfect for the role, don't you know that?"

Goten was looking at Trunks, as if asking for help, but his best friend's back was turned at him the whole time. "Mr. Beaumont, I'm sure you're terribly mistaken. I'm no actor," he tried to explain. "My best friend, on the other hand, has been acting for two straight years, and he's been in a soap opera recently. You know, the top-rating one, entitled---"

"I know, I know," Rexus said, trying to make Goten shut his mouth. "But I want you for the job."

"But sir---"

He dumped the extra-thick script into Goten's arms, making the demi-saiyajin blink. "Huh?"  
"Try reading it."

He looked at the script, then his eyes narrowed, not understanding the words too much, and then, he looked back at the director. "Huh?"

"That's going to be your script."

"Huh?" Goten asked, his face implying total confusion.

And that was when Rexus shook the talent manager's hand, utterly delighted at what the demi-saiyajin was showing. "You picked the right man for the job, Rufius! Damn, look at that innocent face he's putting up! It just so fits the role! He's a natural, why hasn't he been discovered yet?!"

"Huh?" Goten asked the two, who were chattering excitedly. Then, Rexus grabbed the young man's hand. 

"Come, uh... Mr..."

"Son."

"Yes, Mr. Son, please come with me. I'm so honored to introduce you to the rest of the cast," Rexus blurted out with much excitement as he pulled Goten away.

The demi-saiyajin tried to break free, though he didn't use much force so that the human director won't be slammed to the wall or anything. "But what about Trunks?"

"You can talk to Trunks later. Now, Mr. Son, as I was saying..." the director continued talking as he lead Goten into another room, where the rest of the chosen ones were assembled.

"Mr. Beaumont, wait for me!" Rufius called out, when a hand pulled him back into place.

Trunks was glaring at him. "Rufius, you told me that I was going to get the part," he said in a low, cold voice. "But why did _he_ get it now?"

"I'm sorry Trunks," Rufius replied with a much sarcasm. "Sometimes, things don't work out the way we want them. That's the downfall of this five-letter-word called _pride_."

"What, aren't you going to do anything about it?!"

"Why, what can I do?" the other replied. "I'm Mr. Son's talent manager now. Forgive me, Trunks, but it's over."

"_What?!_" Trunks almost growled. "What are you trying to imply, Rufius?!"

The talent manager's grin was smug. "That's how it goes in showbusiness, Trunks. I took you in as my client because you were very promising and you definitely got yourself famous because of your soap. But now, your rise to glory has come to a dead end. The next star of the showbiz world is Goten, and I'm going to be by his side, to help him get the best deals, to help him get the best parts, to help him get as much money as he could ever want, and to help him be a lot more famous than you've become."

And he turned to follow where Rexus and Goten disappeared to before Trunks could pounce on him in his anger.

Trunks just stood there, fuming. He could not understand how in the world did Goten get the part he had always wanted. "He's just a nobody," Trunks whispered to himself, his voice full of anger and envy. "True, he may be Goku's son, but he comes from a poor family nobody in the city would have heard of. And who am I? I'm Trunks Briefs-Vegeta. I'm rich, I'm famous, I'm powerful, I'm good-looking, and there's no way a wild-haired brat like Goten could surpass me! This... _this is an outrage!_" he yelled in frustration.

A couple of security guards ordered him to keep quiet, but he merely glared back at them and walked out of the studio. 

Now he knew how his father felt. His father was the prince of the saiyajins, and a third class warrior named Kakkarot could beat him anytime. He was the son of that prince, but the son of that third class warrior just beat him.

His cellphone rang.

"Hello?" he growled as he answered.

It was Keeney.

"Hey, Nii-chan!" she began in her sing-song voice, the sing-song voice that Goten used to do when they were younger. "Did you get the part?"

Trunks pulled the phone away from his ear, looked at it in disgust, turned it off, and threw it away.

He then began the agonizing walk towards his home.

Not to the apartment, but to Capsule Corporation. 

"Look, Mr. Beaumont, I really have to go back and talk to Trunks, he---"

"He left already."

Goten turned to look at Rufius, who just arrived. "Where did he go, Mr. Reinhardt?"

"Oh please, Goten. Call me Rufius. I'm going to be your talent manager now."

He started to panic. "Mr. Beaumont, I can't accept your offer, even if I want to! My best friend --- Trunks --- he wants that part. And I'm sure it's going to hurt him more if it was his own best friend who got it. You should just pick someone else."

"Goten," Rexus began. "Don't let this friendship stuff get in the way. You're going to be a star. You're going to be famous! Besides, if he's a true friend, then he won't be hurt. Rather, he'd be happy for you. That's how friends are supposed to be. He should be happy, after all, he is a part of your success."

"But---"

"Come on, Goten," Monica Elliot, a young yet world-class actress --- Goten and Trunks had seen all her movies --- exclaimed as she clung on to him. "You can't let your emotions get to you. You're fit for this movie, Goten. I will not allow anyone else to work with me except you. We're a great team, and I'm sure that we'll do excellent in this one!"

But the old Goten --- who would give up everything just to get a date with a celebrity --- was gone.

He pushed her away. "I've got to talk to Trunks," he told them as he ran off.

Rexus' eyes narrowed. "Rufius, you have to find a way. I don't care what you do, I want Goten Son for the part. That Trunks must not get in the way."

"Otousan, you wanna eat?" Keeney yelled as she closed the door of their fridge. "OTOUSAAAAAAAN!"

"YEAH, WHAT IS IT?!" Vegeta bellowed in return.

"DO YOU WANNA EAT?" she asked, making her voice as loud as she could, for he was all the way in his training chamber, the Gravity Room. When she heard no reply, she knew that very instant that it was a yes. She opened the fridge to get the entire pitcher of juice, and the extra-large chocolate cake. She sat down, waiting for her father to come out and eat with her, but nothing happened. So she decided to start eating, for her stomach was whining in defiance.

The door slammed open.

"WHERE'S MY CHOCOLATE CAKE?!" a furious Trunks snapped at his little sister who was just about to shove a fairly large piece into her mouth. 

Keeney put the cake down, then smiled sheepishly, a smile that was close enough to the renowned Son Grin™. "Hi, Nii-chan."

As Goten was running towards his car, he took out his cellphone and dialed Trunks' number, but the operator said something about _number cannot be reached_ so he put the cellphone back into his pocket and hopped in his car. He could just fly but he didn't want to leave his car anywhere near a public place so he decided to use the vehicle to get to where Trunks was.

He paused for a moment to sense his ki, and when he felt it, he was paralyzed in shock. 

Trunks was furious, and Goten felt that.

He pushed the accelerator and headed to Capsule Corporation as fast as he could. Although it wasn't really his fault, but he had to apologize. He finally pulled the car aside as he arrived in Capsule Corporation, said a very quick _"Hello,"_ to Mr. and Mrs. Briefs, and headed in the building.

"He's furious," Keeney told him as soon as they met, her giving him a slight peck on the cheek. "He told me that you got the part all of a sudden. Is that true?"

Goten nodded, and then he looked at her as if begging for help. "I don't want the part, Keeney! True, I've often told myself that someday I'll do things right and I'll be a star, but if it will hurt my best friend then I'm going to leave all that fame stuff behind! He wants the part, so he should get it."

"Have you come to offer me the part as your sidekick?" a cold voice shot behind them and they turned to see Trunks standing by the doorway.

"Trunks, you have to listen to me," Goten began. "Look, the reason why I went there with you was because you asked me to. And I told them that I don't want the part. So it's all yours."

His lavender-haired best friend shook his head. "Rufius just called. He told me to stay out of your way and make sure that you get the part."

"But I don't it!"

"Goten, can't you understand?!" Trunks snapped. "It's doesn't matter if you want it or not. What matters is who they want, and who they don't want! That's what showbusiness is all about!" Then, his expression softened. "Listen, Goten," he began as he walked towards the dark-haired saiyajin. "I'm not mad because you got the part. I'm just frustrated because things just didn't work out the way I expected them to be. That's all. So..." his voice trailed off as he swallowed, then hugged Goten. "Congratulations. And yeah... I'm sorry if I left all of a sudden. Rufius just insulted me and you know I can't take those crap." He smiled and offered his hand. "Well? Aren't you going to shake my hand?"

"Trunks, I don't want---"

Trunks took his hand anyway. "Isn't that great, Goten? You're going to be very famous! Just don't forget about me, all right?"

"Aw c'mon, Trunks, you know I'll never do that! But... what about you?"

"Well," Trunks began, as finding the right words to say and the right facade to use, "My mom asked me to start my training in the business field. She said that I'm the eldest anyway, so I'll most probably inherit the business. She wants me to be CEO of Capsule Corporation."

"Wow, that's awesome!" Goten exclaimed happily.

"See how great this is, Goten? Goten Son, the hard-hitting action hero. Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, the smart and good-looking CEO of Capsule Corporation."

Then they both laughed, releasing all the tension.

"You scared me for a while back there, Trunks! I thought you were mad at me for good. And I don't want to lose you. Not ever. You're my best friend, and you've been---"

"Cut the crap, Goten," Trunks replied. "And that's not the way to do some thanking in the showbiz world. Come, I'll give you some pointers!" he exclaimed as he pulled Goten by the hand and led him up to his room.

Keeney couldn't help but sigh in relief. However, she noticed that there was something --- just a little something --- wrong with the way her brother was acting.

"That kid has a long way to go," Kim, Rexus' wife, commented as they watched the trailer for _Dreams of Apocalypse_. "He has much potential, and plus, he's a natural. Good looks add brownie points too."

Rexus chuckled as he stared at the soon-to-be-star. "True, true. There's something about him, Kim. Something that seems to draw people close to him. In fact, I noticed him the moment he stepped into my office. And to think he was standing behind Trunks Briefs-Vegeta. You know, the star of that soap---"

"You mean _the_ Trunks Briefs-Vegeta? He must truly be something if he made you notice him just like that! I mean, if it was me, I'd most probably notice Trunks."

"Oh, you don't know what he's like, Kim," Rexus said. "He's very nice to work with. He's very open-minded and very obedient, and most of the cast are in very good terms with him." He took the remote control to replay the trailer. "See the way he acts? Believe it or not, he did that in just one take. And we didn't need any stuntmen too. He was excellent in martial arts. He just had a couple of problems with guns, he seemed uneasy using them."

Kim Beaumont smiled. "Well, darling, you've just caught the prized fish. _Dreams of Apocalypse_ will be an absolute box-office hit, and Goten Son will be the next _Prince of the Silverscreen_. Dreams really do come true."


	4. Fated Encounter

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Three: Fated Encounter

_Sabrea, 790 AD_

A pair of beautiful, yet somehow sad blue eyes gazed upon the dark sky thoughtfully, seemingly searching for something that was once there but something that she now couldn't see. Then, she sighed, as she was nostalgic. She wanted to go back to the place she learned to know as _home_. But she had a responsibility that she cannot --- and can never --- put away, and because of that responsibility she had so many lives under her care.

She sighed heavily once again, for she missed so many things, so many people. She missed Goten, Keeney and Trunks' mischief. She missed Bulma's complaints on Vegeta's arrogance. She missed Chichi's angry yells. She missed Goku's stupidity. She missed Boxer and Bras' fun nature. She even missed her _father_ and his obnoxiousness.

Home. She missed her home. And not even her wealth and power could make up for that.

She forced a smile as she heard two loud noises at a distance. One was the high-pitched screams of an 11-year-old princess, while the other was the taunting yells of an eight-year-old prince. "MOMMMYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Pan shrieked when she ran around a corner and came straight towards the empress. "Gokazu ripped my shirt and now I have to wear this skimpy dress!"

"I didn't rip it!" the younger child said as he walked towards his mother. "I just showed Nee-chan this really cute lizard---"

"The lizard RIPPED my shirt!"

"Then why are you saying that I ripped your shirt?! The lizard did it, so blame the lizard!" Gokazu snapped in response.

Pan looked at her mom. "He brought the lizard in my room, and so it's his fault!"

"It is NOT!"

"It is TOO!"

"Is NOT!"

"Is TOO!"

"NOT!"

"TOO!"

"Now, now, will you two stop arguing?!" Videl exclaimed, exasperated. She wasn't the patient kind, and they all knew that. "Gokazu, get the lizard out of the palace, then go to your room. And stay there until I call you for supper!"

Pan had a triumphant grin.

"And Pan, don't think you'll be able to get away with this," Videl quickly added. "You'll have to wear a dress once in a while. And it is not right to fight with your brother! You're older, so you should understand! Now, for your punishment... you'll have to wear that dress until bedtime."

"But mooooooooooom!" Pan whined.

"No buts! And to your room, now!"

With their shoulders slumped, both kids headed back to their rooms, but not without a slight argument.

"It was your fault," Pan whispered.

"Why me? It was your fault too!" Gokazu whispered back.

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was---"

"Argue again and I'll---"

Pan and Gokazu paled, then they turned quickly toward their mother, who was following them. "H-hai, Okaasan..."

Videl could not help but smile as she looked at her children, who were both scurrying to their rooms that very instant. Pan --- headstrong, stubborn and strong-willed --- was like her in many ways. Sweet yet bossy, hot-headed yet caring --- although indirectly. Except for the fact that Pan was naturally hard-headed because she was a kid and a princess --- and knowing that spoiled her to a great extent --- Pan was like Videl's own reflection.

On the other hand, her younger offspring, Gokazu, was much like Gohan. He was naive, thoughtful, smart and an excellent fighter. Also, he looked like Gohan in many ways, but he had Videl's eyes.

Gohan used to complain about that feature Gokazu had, but Videl thought it was just fair, after all, Pan had Gohan's eyes. They'd end the little argument with a pillow fight, and then sink into bed, talking and laughing on their adventures and misfortunes.

"What's the matter?" Gohan asked as she entered their room. "You seem... upset."

"No, I'm not upset," she replied as she slumped against the mall. "I... I'm just nostalgic, that's all."

He put an arm around her. "I know how you feel. I wanna go back home too. But I can't leave you here. So I'm gonna stay here and keep you happy."

"I'm going to send a diplomatic team to Earth soon... you could lead the mission, if you like," Videl blurted out, making Gohan's eyes open wide in shock.

"You're kidding."

"No, I'm not. I am sending a diplomatic team, for there has been a few requests. Want to lead the mission?"

Gohan averted his eyes. "I do, but I don't want to leave you."

"Oh come on!" Videl exclaimed. "I'm not your 18-year-old irresponsible girlfriend anymore! I can take care of myself, don't worry. Trust me. And besides---" she was forced to stop as her messenger entered their room in a hurry.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Your Majesty... but we found Celeste."

Videl immediately brightened. "You found her? Where is she?"

"She's in the hall, with her father. She was taken prisoner by the Hakaijins, but luckily, she managed to escape. But she's very upset."

Gohan nodded. "Go. I'll take care of the kids."

"Thanks," Videl said, then kissed her husband. "I'll be right back."

Governor Arhes Thouvier could not contain his joy, and he was so grateful to the gods that his daughter had been found. Celeste had been missing for months, and was even presumed dead, but she finally managed to return to Sabrea.

Videl came running towards the Great Hall, and Celeste saw her good friend, she rushed up to give the empress a tight hug. "Thank the gods for answering my prayer," Videl whispered. "I kept praying for your safe return. What happened?"

"My ship crashed on Hakai-sei, and I was found by the current ruler of that planet, Seth," Celeste began to explain, pulling away from Videl's embrace. "At first they kept me in the dungeon, and they did all the interrogation stuff, but then I found myself being pampered and respected some days later. I discovered that Seth had arranged our marriage, for he's planning to take over our world! And he wanted to marry me so he'll have a direct link to the nine governors, and therefore it will be possible for him to disrupt the circle!"

"Does he know you're here?" Videl asked worriedly.

"No... not yet, that is. But he's bound to find out anytime soon. That's why I have to leave this place. He must not get me, in any way. Do you know a place where I could hide for even just a few months? I really need to, then perhaps when everything is more or less settled around here, I'll come back."

Arhes took Videl's hand, and with pleading eyes, he said, "Please help my daughter."

Videl could only think of one place, one place where Celeste could be safe. One place guarded by super warriors who love their world so much, one place where evil could never survive. Looking at both Arhes and Celeste, Videl said, "_Chikyuu-sei_."

"Chikyuu-sei?" Celeste asked.

The empress turned to her messenger. "Please tell Sonia that I'm cancelling the diplomatic mission for Chikyuu-sei, then kindly ask her to prepare a spy ship instead, set with the same course. And... tell her to avoid the Hakai cluster."

"Yes, Your Majesty," her messenger promptly obeyed.

She then turned to Celeste, nodded, and led her friend to her personal quarters. "You will be safe there, do not worry. Come with me, I'll prepare a message for my husband's family, so they can expect your arrival."

"Videl... how could I ever repay you?"

"There is no need, Celeste. You have done much, and I appreciate that. I'll keep in touch, so if you need anything, let me know," Videl muttered as she opened the door of their room, where Gohan was waiting. She did not give him time to ask, she immediately said, "We need to send an urgent message to your family. Celeste's being pursued by Hakaijin soldiers and she needs to get out of here. I aleady asked Sonia to prepare a ship so she can go to Earth. Who can we send a message to, so they'll know that she's coming?"

"Goten," Gohan replied. "Mom's gonna faint; dad might not understand in time."

She threw a communicator at him. It was a contraption shaped like a cube, and was black in color. Gohan took a deep breath and pushed a button, ready to relay the message. 

_"Hey, squirt! It's me, Gohan. Got an urgent message for you, so listen carefully. Our friend here is being hunted down by warriors from Hakai-sei and she needs to hide in our place for a while. I know you're nice, and I know you're still single, so please take care of her. She'll be there shortly after you receive this message. Her name's Celeste Thouvier, a good friend of Videl. So take care of her. Regards to mom and dad. Videl and the kids send their regards. Take care, squirt. I love you."_

Keeney grinned. "_Squirt!_ How cute! He still calls you that until now! Gohan's so smart, he knows you're still single! But he doesn't know that you're a star, a hero and a _scholar_ like him! You should tell him! He'll be so proud!" she joked, receiving a glare from Goten.

"I don't like your jokes," he said. "You know I hate being called a scholar."

"But it's true!" Keeney protested. "Although Gohan's still smarter, but hey, you're a star, and he's not! Show him who the squirt is!"

Goten sighed. "Please, Keeney. Don't call me squirt, alright? Please?"

"Oh alright," she gave in. "Gee Goten, you seem... touchy... today. Did you skip breakfast?"

He did not reply.

"Goten? Are you alright? I... I'm sorry for teasing you like that... I was just... I'm really sorry."

_Damnit, Goten! You're making her upset! How will she say yes to you now?!_

"No, Keeney, _I'm_ sorry... I was just..." his voice trailed off, then he sighed. "I was planning tell you something today, but ever since this morning I still couldn't get the right timing, so I'm all upset and that. First, your brother ruins the moment by barging inside when we didn't invite him, then your mother, then your father, then Rufius and Rexus, then Aira, and then this message from Oniichan. This day had gone so hectic when I only planned one event, when I only planned out the one thing that I want to happen today. The one thing I had longed for so long, and planned for so long!"

Keeney's heart started to race. She wasn't _that_ naive to not know what Goten was talking about. She felt herself floating up in the sky, her heart leaping mile after mile. After all --- Goten was _finally_ going to ask her to be his girlfriend!

"Don't worry about it, Goten," she said, trying hard not to let him realize that she knew what he was planning to tell her. She moved closer to him and smiled. "Just tell me!"

"Keeney, I..." he stopped to swallow. "I..."

"Yes?"

Goten took a deep breath. "I just want to let you know that..."

"That?"

"Excuse me, do you know who Goten Son is?"

"Yes," Goten replied as he turned around to face the stranger. "It is---"

And he stopped.

He was shocked. More than shocked. _She... she's so... beautiful... She must be..._  
"I'm Celeste. Celeste Thouvier," she said, extending her hand.

_An angel..._

Goten blinked, then shook her hand. "Goten. I'm... Gohan's brother."

"Your world is so beautiful," Celeste commented as she took a good look around. "Everything is... so nice, with lush flora and fauna. I must say you're lucky to be here, sir."

Goten nodded, not knowing what to say. However, his eyes held all the emotions he had at the moment.

Celeste's face was then in a deep shade of red.

"_Ahem_," Keeney cleared her throat loudly. "So, you're Celeste."

"Yes, madam, and you are...?"

_Madam?! What the--- I'm his girlfriend! _she thought to herself. _I'm supposed to be his girlfriend!_

Keeney forced a smile. "I'm her best friend's sister. My name is Keeney Briefs-_Vegeta_," she replied, stressing her family name, hoping that it would provide a good impact on the alien.

"I see," Celeste blurted out.

"This way," Goten told Celeste as he extended his hand, which she gracefully took. "I'll take you to my home."

She flushed. "You are most kind, sir."

"Please, call me Goten."

"If that is what you wish," she said, smiling.

Goten continued to gaze at her, and when she caught him doing so, he immediately pretended that he was not looking at her. "Uhh... I was just... looking around... would you like me to show you around?"

"Goten, you are very kind."

"Stop saying that, you're embarassing me!" Goten exclaimed as he flushed noticeably.

"I speak only the truth," the other replied. "If you won't mind... I would like to look around."

Goten looked at her, and nodded. "Then prepare yourself. I'm going to take you to places you've never been!" the showbiz superstar exclaimed as he started running, dragging her along, leaving Keeney behind.

And the female demi-saiyajin was furious, although she could not understand why she was feeling that way. When that girl showed up, she suddenly felt afraid. She suddenly wanted to tie Goten up and attach him to herself. She suddenly wanted to hold Goten and not let him go even if the world would already fall apart. She suddenly wanted to blast Celeste from existence. She suddenly wanted to take Goten as far away from Celeste as possible.

_Am I... jealous...?_


	5. Goten's Surprise

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Four: Goten's Surprise

_Earth, 790 AD_

She slammed her diary shut as soon as she heard footsteps. Like all girls, Keeney had a lot of secrets to keep. And the greatest secret she had was her love for her brother's best friend, Goten. She told nobody, of course, except her diary. Trunks would always tease her, but she'd immediately deny it, most especially in front of her father. She was lucky Vegeta allowed her to hang out with Goten, but it was because he knew that Goten and Keeney would never be together. After all, according to the Saiyajin no Ouji, Goten had already found his mate. 

Unknown to them, those words upset Keeney a lot. In fact, everytime Vegeta calls Goten a weakling, she'd defend him as much as she could. It seemed natural for her already, but nobody seemed to notice, because Goten, Trunks and Keeney comprised the trio of troublemakers whose pranks haunted their dreams until this very day. 

Well, except Trunks.

Trunks knew that Keeney loved Goten with a love deeper than the one brought by friendship, and as long as Trunks is around, Keeney would never be spared from his teasing.

"Oneechan?" a young boy called out from outside her room. "May I come in?"

Keeney quickly stuffed her diary under her pillows, and when that was done, she said, "Alright, come on in!"

"Arigatou," he answered, and then he cautiously stepped in the room. Boxer Briefs-Vegeta, Keeney's little brother, was an adorable pre-teen, who looked like Trunks in many ways. He had smooth lavander hair and cute blue eyes that resembled Trunks' when he was younger. In fact, his hair was fixed up the same way as Trunks' was... because it was how Bulma wanted it. 

However, Boxer was softer in nature. He didn't talk much; he didn't cause trouble like Trunks did when he was still a kid. He was the shy, silent type, not like his other siblings. Trunks was outgoing, and he still had that mischievous streak even at 24. Keeney was, witty and talkative, yet fun-loving at the same time. After all, she was part of the troublemaking alliance spearheaded by the renowned Goten and Trunks. Bra was bossy and plainly naughty for a girl her age, although who would blame her? She was only ten.

But Boxer was different. He was very smart, yet reserved. He would rather spend the whole day in his room and come up with some of his own inventions than go to those fancy parties Trunks would organize. For some reason, though, Goten had some odd liking towards the little boy. Maybe because they both were the sort of the _neglected_ ones, maybe because both of them had the same desire to have an identity of their own. 

Trunks and Bra were Bulma's favorites --- the eldest and the youngest, respectively. Vegeta, on the other hand, preferred Keeney who had always wanted to be strong and powerful. Although she could not turn super saiyajin at the age of 21, but she was dedicated in her training, and that was what Vegeta liked about her. And even though Trunks and Bra were Bulma's favorites, she also had a liking towards her eldest daughter, who was once a ramp model, and now a beauty queen.

And that left Boxer stranded in the middle of the attention. 

In Goten's case, they were only two in the family, but his parents seemed to attend to Gohan more than him. Gohan seemed to be the most loved one in Goten's eyes. He was a scholar and a fighter at the same time, now he was a father and the Emperor of some faraway planet. On the other hand, Goten grew up without a father for seven years, and that greatly affected his entire being. True, Goten was now famous and all that, but he still longed to go back to his childhood and spend all those seven years with Goku. He had always wanted that.

"So what brings you here, Little Trunks?" Keeney teased, as Boxer had always been called by that. Her younger brother only scowled, a scowl that she had always seen planted on their father's face. "Okay, I'll stop it. So why'd you come? Need something from me?"

"Goten called," Boxer replied. "But you were still asleep. He told me to let you know that he wants to meet with you today. Celeste and Oniichan won't be with him."

Keeney felt as if she was in heaven. "Really?! Celeste won't be with him! Only me and him? Wow! This must be my lucky day!" she exclaimed as she hugged her brother. "I'm sooooo happy!"

"Oneechan..."

"Oh, sorry," Keeney said as she let go and smiled sheepishly. "Did he say when and where?"

"Half past 10, he'll pick you up," Boxer replied, then he smirked. "Admit it! You want to marry him, don't you?"

Suddenly Keeney's face was bright red, and she defensively replied, "I do not! He's just... my best friend!"

"Liar," Boxer said as he stuck his tongue out. "You like him! I can see it in your eyes. When you look at Goten your face looks the same as mom's when she gets into this talk with dad and she tells us to keep out. But... I thought he has a girlfriend already."

"Who told you these things?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

A sheepish smile crossed Boxer's face. "Oniichan did. He kept telling me what you do whenever Goten is around. You start acting strange and hyped up and you look as if you want to squeeze him to death."

That did it. Keeney bolted up and snapped, "TELL TRUNKS THAT HE HAS NO RIGHT TO SAY THESE---"

"But he said Goten likes you."

She blinked.

"And he also said that probably the reason why Goten wants to meet you 'cuz he dumped Celeste and he's gonna ask you out. Oh and Oniichan also said that Goten and Celeste had a fight recently."

Keeney's heart began to beat faster and faster as the news registered in her brain. It had been months since Goten and Celeste met and became a couple, however, it looked as if Goten was double-crossing his girlfriend since he still spends much time with Keeney. Luckily for Keeney, Sabreurs were naturally good-hearted and they don't fall for those emotions such as envy or jealousy. Except Videl, but she was an exception, after all, she's a hybrid, and thus susceptible to human emotions.

Vegeta's second brat could not contain her joy. For the first time after how many months, Goten was going to hang out with her, and it would be just the two of them. No Celeste, and no Trunks. Just Goten and her.

"Admit it, Oneechan, you like him!" Boxer continued to tease.

"Okay, okay, I admit," she said, giving in. "Just... keep it a secret, alright? Please, Boxer?"

The 12-year-old demi saiyajin rolled his eyes, but then, he smiled. "Alright, I promise. It's a secret."

"Great! Now, what should I wear?" Keeney blurted out as she started to pick what she would wear from the entire horde stuffed in her dresser.

"Your order, sir?"

Goten took a second to look at Keeney, and then, he turned to the waitress and smiled. "I'd like seven large cheeseburgers and orange juice... three large cups. Oh wait, make that eight large cheeseburgers and four large cups of orange juice."

The waitress started to scribble his order, then she stopped and blinked. "A-Are you sure about this amount, sir?"

"Oh, it's too few? Okay, just make it ten large cheeseburgers."

_He's not kidding..._ the waitress told herself, then when she was once again composed, she turned to Keeney. "And your order, ma'am?"

"I'll just have five cheeseburgers and three sodas. I want the biggest ones. I'm on a diet right now."

"Oh yeah, I forgot! Make mine giant cheeseburgers too!" Goten pitched in.

_What are these people?!_ the waitress asked herself as she stared at the two demi-saiyajins in disbelief.

"Umm... miss, something wrong?" Keeney asked worriedly.

She shook her head. "Sorry, we'll get to your orders right away!" she exclaimed, and ran off, as if she was scared beyond belief.

Keeney turned to Goten. "What was that all about?"

"I don't know," Goten replied. "But I'm hungry, they better hurry or I'm going to raid their 'fridge."

"So..." Keeney began, trying to open up a topic. "Why did you ask me out? And where's Celeste?"

Goten was looking around uncomfortably, and when he was sure nobody else was looking, he moved closer to Keeney and whispered, "I have something to show you."

She was immediately excited, and it was obvious in the look in her eyes. "Show it to me, Goten! Show me!"

"Here," Goten muttered as he pulled something out of his pocket, when a flash blinded them.

And another.

And another.

"We are here right now in a fastfood restaurant in Satan City, and look who's here with us! The _Prince of the Silverscreen_, Goten Son!"

Goten began to panic. "Oh no... not you guys again!"

"Hi Goten-sama!" the reporter chirped as she made herself comfortable on Goten's lap. "Can I ask you a few questions?"

"Get off him!" Keeney growled.

"Oh, are you Mr. Son's nursemaid?" another reporter asked Keeney as she came towards their table, and not controlling herself any longer, she flung her arms around Goten. "Oh Goten-samaaaaaaaaaaa! I've been dying to get the chance to have an interview with you!"

"I said, get off him! And I am NOT his nursemaid!" Keeney roared, scaring the other people around them, but not the two reporters, who were now at the verge of playing a game of tug-of-war.

"Get off him, Laura," the first reporter shot at the newcomer. "I got here first! It's my turn to interview Goten-sama, not yours! Learn to pay respect! I got here first!"

"Oh no, Rachel, you are NOT going to interview Goten-sama," the second snapped in reply as she hugged Goten tighter. "Your driver intentionally crashed your car to mine so you could come here and snag and interview with Goten-sama, and that is so disgusting of you! I'm going to interview him!"

"I won't let you!" Laura yelled as she yanked Goten towards him.

"Well too bad, because he's going to answer MY questions!" Rachel shot back as she pulled Goten towards him.

"HE WILL NOT!"

"WILL TOO!"

"WILL NOT!"

"WILL TOO!"

"WILL NOT!"

"WILL TOO!"

"WILL NOT!" 

Goten was already dizzy from being pulled back and forth by two obsessed reporters, but he could not think of a way to stop them without anyone getting hurt. His brain wouldn't work because he was too dizzy to think, and if he would use his reflexes he would not only break windows and the reporters' bodies but he would also injure the bystanders.

That's when a voice exploded, hurting their eardrums to the maximum extent.

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?!? LET HIM GO!!!"

Luckily, Goten was used to Keeney's screams, for he would have fainted in pain along with the others. He merely smiled as he held out his hand for Keeney to take. "Let's go somewhere private, alright?"

They were in a dark, abandoned alley, with nobody around. Just the two of them. That place would scare normal people because of the darkness and the silence, but not Goten and Keeney. And most especially not any of the saiyajins. Goten stopped to feel the environment, making sure that there was no one nearby --- most especially those reporters who were obsessed with him --- and then, he turned to face Keeney. And he smiled.

She felt as if she would melt as she stared into his dark eyes full of love and compassion. Goten had always been so nice, so caring, so concerned. Even if he and Trunks would leave her out most of the time, but Goten had always been showing some sort of affection towards her, just indirectly so that he wouldn't get teased by Trunks. 

And through the years, she has learned to love him. To love him more than a friend, to love him with something deeper.

"So, Goten... what was the thing you were gonna show me?"

He did not reply. Instead, he put his hands in his pocket and pulled out a tiny velvet box.

"Is that...?" Keeney asked, but her voice trailed off in disbelief.

Goten opened the box, revealing a very beautiful diamond ring.

She gasped.

He then took the ring out of the box, and as if on cue, Keeney held out her hand so he could slip it on her finger. But to her shock, Goten merely handed the ring to her, and said, "You like it? Well I sure hope Celeste does. I bought this yesterday, and I was planning to give it to her today... but I had to show it to you first. So is it a good one? Or should I get another?"

"Y-You're going to g-give this t-to her?!" 

He had the Son Grin™ on his face when he nodded. "I'm... I'm gonna ask her to marry me. Today. But as I said, I had to check if I picked a good ring, and who would be the perfect person to consult? My best friend, of course! And since we guys know nothing of these stuff, so I had to ask you instead of Trunks. After all, you girls are suckers for sparkly things," he ended with a sly grin.

Keeney had to stop herself from bursting into tears right then and there. With a wry smile, she whispered, "Yes, it's a very beautiful ring, Goten. She's... definitely going to like it. I'm... glad... that you're getting married."

"Really, Keeney?"

She nodded, and then Goten jumped in joy. "Yes!" he exclaimed, and he swept Keeney off her feet, hugging her close. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much, Keeney! You're really an angel! I'm so glad you're my best friend!"

"Yes, I'm glad too," Keeney tried to say it as enthusiastically as she could as Goten put her down, and then she could not take it any longer. Tears fell from her eyes, and she was glad that the darkness was there to cover her shattered facade. 

"Hey, don't cry! I know you're happy, but don't cry!"

And she was glad that Goten was too naive to recognize her shattered facade.


	6. Your Joy, My Pain

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Five: Your Joy, My Pain

It was another normal night at Capsule Corporation, more or less. Bulma was attempting to cook dinner for the entire family, eyes on a cookbook hand-made by her friend, Chichi. She was upset when Vegeta refused to eat the food she cooked one day, and she stormed to the new residence of the Sons --- Goten's mansion --- in frustration. To calm the angry woman down, Chichi quickly made a cookbook, a compilation of her best recipes that Vegeta would surely enjoy.

Bulma was trying it out now.

On the other hand, Vegeta was in his training chamber, doing what he did everyday. Train. Ever since Goku left for some planet to learn new techniques, Vegeta had been training harder than ever. To add to his frustration, his sparring partner, Goten, had been busy with his new movie that he was unable to spend time with him, bringing the Saiyajin no Ouji back to where he was before. Self-training.

The eldest of the Briefs-Vegeta brats, Trunks, was too hooked up with all the negotiations as he was now the Chief Executive Officer of Capsule Corporation. Because of his job, he never got the chance to resume training, much more spar with his father. During the day, he was at his office, facing countless number of papers in piles all over his desk. At night, he was in bed, trying to get back all the energy he had lost during the day.

Keeney, on the other hand, was once again locked up in her room, just as always. No one was really certain of what she does in her room every night. In Bulma's point of view, her eldest daughter was endlessly pondering over fashion magazines to design the perfect gown for her upcoming fashion show. For Vegeta, Keeney was secretly meditating and building up her ki. For Bra, her Oneechan was trying out her clothes over and over again, and parading in front of the mirror. For Boxer, she was talking with either Goten or her fashion peers for the whole night. But for Trunks, her little sister was merely thinking of Goten and no one else but him.

He was right.

Boxer was doing his usual routine: tinkering with tools and trying to invent new gadgets. That what was he was best at. He had tons of papers containing blueprints of his inventions, and once he manages to get a hand on some valuable materials fresh from the lab, he starts building them to his heart's content. In fact, he had a whole cabinet filled with all his inventions and blueprints. Trunks would take the blueprints, Goten would take a look at the inventions themselves.

And Bra... was pestering Bulma. As always.

"ONNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Vegeta's voice thundered all over Capsule Corporation, despite the clashing sounds of the TV set from Keeney's room, the head-banging music from the radio in Trunks' room, the _booms_ and _blams_ from Boxer's room, the sizzling of the garlic and other spices from the kitchen, and Bra's continuous whines.

After a couple more rounds of screaming, yelling, whining, wailing and crying --- as well as thundering footsteps, breaking china and dropping metals --- everyone was at the dining table, ready to devour all the food that was available. And they all looked eager to eat and get back to their own businesses.

The moment Bulma put down the plates, the race began. 

The five saiyajins ate to their heart's content... make that four. Keeney was eating a lot slower than usual, although the quantity of the food she shoves into her mouth every night still didn't change. Just... a little bit slower, but Bulma didn't really notice what was wrong. Not when piles and piles of plates began to pile up in front of her, and she heaved a sigh.

Chichi was lucky. She only had three saiyajins to handle. And now, she didn't have to worry about them. Gohan was pampered and served well in some planet she could not seem to name, Goku was out on one of his planet-to-planet journeys, and Goten had his own mansion with no worries at all. Sometimes, Chichi would cook for Goten, but most of the time, her son would let her just go shopping and enjoy her life to the fullest.

Suddenly, Bulma noticed that it became extremely quiet. She peered over the piles of plates in front of her to see five saiyajins looking at her in some strange manner she could not interpret. Until she noticed that Bra was impatiently tapping her spoon and fork. A sheepish smile then escaped her as she tiptoed towards the kitchen and took what was left of the food she cooked.

"Well, Chichi, your idea definitely worked," she whispered as she set the food down, and the race resumed. She sighed as she continued to bring the empty plates back to the kitchen, and when they all seemed to calm down, she sat down and helped herself.

"Hey mom," Boxer began as he stuffed another heap of food into his mouth. "Ith madeh ah bluehprinth ofth---"

"Don't talk when your mouth is full, Boxer," Bulma reminded, as she stopped to help herself with another spoonful. When she finished chewing, she opened up the conversation once again. "Any news? Vegeta?"

"When's that blasted movie of Kakkarot's brat going to end anyway?! I need my dummy back!"

"Vegeta!" Bulma exclaimed as she glared at him. "That's not nice! He's even helping you out, and you just call him your dummy?"

"_Sparring partner_," Vegeta snorted. "Happy now, onna?!"

She sighed heavily, and then averted his eyes to her eldest son. "Trunks? Anything new?"

"Pretty much the deal with Boxer's blueprint," Trunks replied as he turned to his mother. "And Goten's new movie. We got a couple of requests to have some items released, although the negotiations are still ongoing. I mean, we can't just dash into things, can we? The matter still has to be investigated."

"But I don't think you'll need any more investigations," Bulma said. "All of Goten's movies were blockbusters. Surely this one will be."

Boxer grinned. "He's doing romance for the first time. That's what he told me."

"Oh?" Bulma asked. "He'll do just great! No wonder Chichi's so proud!"

"He's giving us free tickets too," Bra pitched in.

"Naturally," Vegeta snorted.

"You're going to watch the movie with us, Otousan?" Boxer and Bra asked together.

The older saiyajin smirked. "It would be a waste of time, especially with all that mush and crap, but he said he would not resume sparring with me if I would not watch it, so I have to. Stupid brat of Kakkarot."

A smile formed on Bulma's face. Vegeta was trying to make it sound as if he was really forced, but she knew that her husband has become really close to Goku's son. It was, of course, understandable. Goten had no one to train with and look up as a father except Vegeta. On the other hand, Vegeta could not hang out with his children because they were all doing businesses of their own. Trunks had become a workaholic, trying to surpass an invisible rival --- invisible to his family's eyes, that is --- that had just surfaced in the past few years. Keeney, Boxer and Bra had their own businesses to attend to as well, and it seemed as though it was only Goten who bothered to spend time with him. 

"Well that's great," Boxer said with glee when Trunks cleared his throat loudly to give way for another topic. He was beginning to feel horrible --- upset, frustrated, you name it --- due to the fact that he was in his own home, but his family was still talking about the Son brat. 

_What's going to be the next topic? Goten's marriage?_ he thought sarcastically as he turned to his other siblings and smiled. "Hey, there's going to be another get-together to celebrate some important matters in Capsule Corporation's history."

"I'm not coming."

"Boxer, stop coming up with excuses!" Trunks snapped. "You have to come! You've been hiding under mom's skirt long enough, you have to come out and show them who you really are!"

"What do you mean _hiding under mom's skirt?!_ I do not hide under her skirt!"

"It's an expression," Trunks said as he rolled his eyes. "Geez, Boxer. You seem touchy."

Bulma's happy expression faded away noticeably as she felt that a fight was about to ensue between her sons. She wanted to open up yet another topic, but she did not know what.

"Excuse me," Keeney said as she stood up. "I have to go to my room."

The dining table grew quiet as all of them followed Keeney with their eyes. And then, everyone else stood up and parted their ways.

A thousand thoughts ran through Keeney's mind, but all of them were of Goten and Celeste. Unshed tears glistened in Keeney's eyes as she thought of the possible aftermath of her silence. Goten and Celeste would be happily married, with a lot of kids running around, calling them _Mommy_ and _Daddy_, while she would be left out in a corner, with no one to keep her company. Then she thought about the possible aftermath if she would tell Goten what she really felt about him. Goten would not propose to Celeste anymore, but instead to her. And they'd have a very wonderful family, and she'd be happy as long as she would be with him.

It struck her. What if... he really cared for her only as a friend? A best friend, a sister, but nothing more than that?

But even her words would be useless against that reality. However, that still wasn't proven. And it was worth a try to change things. After all, who knows? A few words could make the big difference. The big difference not only in her life, but the lives of everyone else as well.

She took a deep breath as she reached out for the telephone.

It rang.

She froze. The phone continued to ring for a couple more times, before she regained her composure and picked it up. However, the more she panicked when she heard _his_ voice from the other end of the line. Along with that panic came excitement and joy as well. Her emotions were all jumbled up inside, but she knew that she must stay composed so that she would set the mood right, and for everything else to just flow into place.

"Hey Keeney," he greeted. "I've got something to tell you."

She blinked. She wanted to take the chance right then and there, but there was something holding her back. Something that was stopping her from telling him that _she_ had something to tell him. Even though it wasn't what she truly wanted, she said, "Tell me about it."

"It happened."

Keeney was petrified. In shock, in disbelief, and in realization of the truth. Goten's words were loud and clear. _It_ happened. Celeste had accepted the proposal. And there was nothing more to that.

It was over for her. Over.

"Keeney?" Goten asked as he noticed the sudden silence that took over. "Are you alright? Is something bothering you?"

She wanted to scream, she wanted to yell right then and there that _he_ was her problem. But she couldn't. She had the heart not to. She loved him dearly, and she would never want to disappoint him, hurt him, or upset him. Even if she would suffer for the rest of her life, just not him. That's how much she truly loved him. "Nothing, Goten," Keeney answered. "I'm... alright. Congratulations."

"Keeney," he began, concern in his voice. "I can feel it. Something's not right. You've had that emotion... ever since I showed you the ring earlier. What's wrong, Keeney? You can tell me about it. I'm your best friend."

_That's the problem! I'm only your BEST FRIEND! I love you, Goten! I really do! And it pains me because you're going to marry someone else, when there's someone right here, waiting for you, loving you! _Keeney wanted to snap at him so badly, but she couldn't. "Just a little argument with the kids, that's all," she lied as she forced back sudden tears. "So... you got the wedding planned out already? Or..." she hesitated at the idea that came into her mind, but she decided to do his best friend another favor, nonetheless. "... do you need a wedding planner?"

"Wedding planner?" Goten asked in his same, naive tone.

"Yes, and if you want, I can be your wedding planner. I'll arrange everything, from the gowns to the venue to the food. Of course, you and Celeste get to pick stuff, but I'll make sure everything will be ready on the day of your wedding... Goten?"

"Food?"

She sighed. "Yes, Goten. There will be food."

"Great, Keeney! That's just awesome! Thanks a million! I really really _love_ you! Well, you know that," he exclaimed. "Ummm... I gotta go... my mom has began her grandchildren speech already to Celeste and it might drive her nuts, so... I'll talk to you later...?"

"Yes, Goten, I'll talk to you later."

He hung up.

She dropped the phone as she realized what just happened. Yes, he _loved_ her, but not the kind of love she had for him all along. He loved her as his _best friend_, as his _sister_, but nothing more than that.

_Then why are you doing everything for him if he doesn't love you back?_

She lay down on her bed, suddenly out of energy. She pulled out a picture frame, with his picture in it, from under her bed. As she ran her fingers through his picture, she replied to the voice within her, "Because I love him. And if this is what makes him happy, then..."

She swallowed as the pain crept to her throat. "Then... so be it..."

"Oneechan? You done?"

"In a while, Boxer."

The day had come. It had been two weeks since Goten proposed to Celeste, and because of Keeney's hard work, everything was ready, and everyone was as ready as they'll ever be. 

Except... Keeney.

"Hey Keeney, time to go," Trunks called out as he entered her room, still fixing his tux. "The maid of honor can't be late for the wedding she had long been waiting for."

"You go on ahead," she replied with her back still turned away from them. "I still have to fix something up. The best man can't be late for the wedding he had long been waiting for."

"You're upset."

"About time you figured," she shot coldly.

His elder brother sighed as he pulled out a stool and sat beside her, and he could hear the sobs she had been forcing back. She was trembling noticeably, and her hand was clamped over the lipstick tightly Trunks was afraid she was going to break it. "Whoa, Keeney, calm down. That's your only lipstick. Mom's at Goten's house, getting Celeste all ready, and she took her make-up kit with her. You would look like the clown if that's the case. You haven't applied lipstick on your lower lip yet."

"Oniichan, you're not helping."

"Then what _is_ wrong with you?"

She started sobbing. "I love him, Oniichan! I love him, I really do! I don't know why... I managed the first two weeks, getting everything ready... I really managed! But now... I'm breaking down... I don't know why... I don't think I can go to the wedding..."

"You _don't_ want to go to the wedding," Trunks corrected.

"No, I want to. But... I don't think I can. Oh I don't know, Oniichan! I don't know! It's just that... my love for him... is tearing me up inside."

"You just have to accept things," Trunks blurted out. "Sometimes, you just have to. I mean, at first it was pretty hard for me to take that he got the role I wanted and I didn't, but I couldn't do anything about it anymore. So I had to accept it, and move on. That's what you have to do as well. And don't worry, you're famous and all. You'll meet a lot of men around. Just make sure you screen them properly, and that you pick the right one."

"Oniichan..."

"We have to go," he said, rising up from his seat. "Do you want to make Goten upset in his wedding day?"

She smiled. "Of course not! I want him to be the happiest man alive today!" she exclaimed as she put lipstick on her lower lip, tucked the lipstick into her bag, and dashed towards the door. "I'll race ya to the copter!" she teased as she pulled Boxer and ran down the stairs.

"Damnit, Goten... I lost to you... again." Trunks hissed as he gazed out of the window.

Then, he smirked.

"But it's not over yet."


	7. Prelude to the Underworld's Chorus

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Six: Prelude to the Underworld's Chorus

An alarm sounded.

One after the other, the alarms went off, each rising in pitch and volume as they sang out the invasion alert. In the monitors of the Sabrean battle station, a nebulous swirl of darkness and mists filled the air. The mists parted to reveal a handful number of large starships, and smaller vessels spilling from behind them. The largest ship was leading the entire fleet, and it radiated with some strange aura far different from the rest. The ships hardly had any markings, except for one odd-looking emblem that seemed to glow in a deep shade of red.

The moment the Sabreurs saw the ships, only one word penetrated into their thoughts.

Hakaijins.

A message was being transmitted from one of the battleships to the battle station, and it was made clear by the Hakaijin pilot who sent it that the message was for Empress Videl alone. However, Videl knew that it was merely to put curiousity into the hearts of the Sabreurs, so she told one of the receiving pilots to broadcast the message all throughout the planet.

He was tall, with dark red hair and equally dark red eyes, fierce and authoratative. He was clothed in some strange type of armor, with the emblem of the Hakai royal family by his chest. With a voice full of mock respect, he greeted the young empress. Videl's eyes narrowed noticeably as she identified the leader of the Hakaijin fleet. "Seth..."

_"Good day to you, m'lady. Unfortunately, the time has come for us to take things... to another step. I know that you're smart enough not to let unrest spread among your people by keeping this message a secret and all to yourself. But tell me, are you sure that unrest will spread among the people you are governing?"_ the Hakaijin warlord stopped to smile. _"I'm certain that all of you have seen the army I have brought with me. In Hakai, there's more. We will not use our weapons on you if you will just cooperate. All we need is a little information here. And I'm sure you don't want so many people to die because of that information, do you?"_

"You..."

_"Where is Celeste Thouvier?"_ Seth asked as he smirked. _"Yes, you heard me right. Celeste Thouvier, daughter of your Governor Thouvier, and the summoner of the Sabrean circle. Where is she?"_

Videl snorted as she folded her arms in front of her chest. "That's none of your business."

_"Really?" _he taunted, then he shifted his weight to his other foot. _"I'm going to ask you again, m'lady. For the last time. Where is Celeste Thouvier?"_

Videl did not reply. Instead she took our her comlink, and loud enough for Seth to hear, she said, "First Company, please follow standard procedure. Admiral Ivanov, I leave it up to you."

_"So, you're calling for war, eh?"_

"You asked for it," she said in reply. "I'm just giving it to you. Second Company, prepare for back-up," she continued to give orders. "Third Company, stand by. Special Unit, I give full control to---"

A huge explosion knocked her off her feet, as well as the other officers and scientists that were with her in the battle station. She got up quickly and sped towards the nearest monitor, determined to find out what just happened. And it was a startling discovery. Their base had been severely damaged by the blast, for nearly half of it was turned to ashes. The explosion immediately caused panic among the citizens, and unrest began to spread, as she had feared. She pressed a couple of buttons to put up the second layer of the planetary shield, but the Hakaijin fleets were moving in quickly. "Move out, First Company!" she yelled into her comlink. "We must not let them get in the planet!"

"Roger," Sonia Ivanov, her mother's best friend and the admiral of the First Company, acknowledged.

_"Still stubborn, m'lady?"_ Seth teased. _"Well then, I think you need another demonstration."_

And only a few moments after, another explosion followed, but this time the assault was on the other battle station in orbit. To her dismay --- as well as the other people who were with her --- the battle station was caught right on target, and faster than their eyes could blink, it was totally eradicated.

Screams could be heard from the other monitors that showed what was going on all over the planet, and Videl bit her lip as she thought of what to do next. A thousand possibilities ran through her mind, but only one appeared appealing for her. She turned to her comrades and said, "Keep the shields up. If their ships get really close, lower the third layer. Our ships can still stand the pressure."

However, to their utter surprise, the Hakaijin ships began to turn around, as if they were retreating. An overjoyed cheer was heard from all over the planet, when another tranmission from Seth echoed in the battle station. _"Think the game's over, my lady? Think again. We know where she is."_

Videl's eyes flew wide open in surprise.

_"Chikyuu-sei."_

She slammed her fist onto the controls, cutting off the tranmission completely, and she made a dash towards her starfighter. On her way there, she grabbed her comlink, and ordered the Special Unit to go after the fleets headed for Earth, while she ordered the specialists to track down who gave out the information to the enemy.

Goten's cellphone continued to ring, but no one was picking it up. In his excitement and panic on his wedding day, he accidentally left his phone in his bedroom, and now, he was miles away, in a church waiting for the ceremony to start. His cellphone was one of the most important things of his life, but now, he completely forgot to bring it with him, for the thought of his wedding clouded everything else that was in his mind that very day.

"Damnit, Goten, pick up the phone," Gohan cursed in panic as he walked back and forth with his communicator. After a few moments, he gave up on it. He threw the communicator to the floor, picked up his comlink and helmet, and then rushed out of their room.

She started her starfighter, eager to go after the Hakaijins and prevent whatever havoc they were planning to cause on Earth, the planet she had lived in for years --- and loved. As she was about to make a jumpstart to hyperspace, her comlink buzzed. 

_"Videl! Where do you think you're going?!"_ Gohan's half-angry, half-worried voice sprung into her ears.

"I'm going to Earth. Blasted traitor, I'm going to make sure he shall be executed for giving out confidential information---"

_"It was Pan."_

Videl blinked. She was quiet for a couple of moments, and then, she finally asked, "What did you say?!"

_"It was Pan,"_ he repeated. _"She told the Hakaijins where Celeste is. One of them managed to get in the palace, and he threatened to harm us if Pan would not tell him where Celeste is hiding."_

"Then where the hell were you?! Why didn't you make sure that---"

_"I was hell fighting the others that were trying to get in the palace!"_ he shot angrily. _"And don't you even try scold our daughter for what she had done, for it wasn't her fault! Heaven's sake Videl, she's only a child!"_

Videl grimaced. She hated the bond they shared, and she hated how Gohan knew her so well. She hated how he knew that she was going to put the blame on Pan's shoulders, she hated how he defended her when it was her fault, and she hated how he had always favored her through the years. Sometimes, he even favored Pan over Videl herself. And one of those times... was now.

"_Our_ daughter?! _Your_ daughter, that would be the more appropriate term!"

_"Videl, this is not the time to fight!"_

"Then why don't you just shut up?!"

A heavy sigh escaped Gohan's lips. _"Videl, get back down here. They... They need you. Pan and I will take things from here. We're on board _Silmeria_, and we're going to go after Seth and his fleet. Today is Goten's wedding. And his wedding is now complete with an alien entourage... my brother would definitely not like that. He would not like his wedding day ruined just like that."_

"Take care."

_"Yes, Videl. And... Pan's here to talk to you."_

_"I'm so sorry mommy!!"_ Pan wailed. _"I... I didn't mean to tell them... but they said they would kill you, and daddy, and Gokazu... and they've got weapons that could kill even the best Sabrean warriors in a flash... I saw them use those gadgets on our generals, mommy! And... I was afraid... that they'd kill you too..."_ her voice trailed off as she completely burst into tears. 

Videl felt really bad with her sudden outburst, and she felt bad because her daughter did it because she was afraid to lose them. "It's okay, Pan," she said in her most loving voice as she attempted to calm the demi-saiyajin down. "It's okay, mommy understands. I'm sorry if I yelled at your daddy, I'm sorry if I made you feel bad, I promise it won't happen again. I was just... frustrated... that we weren't able to stop the Hakaijins from entering our world, and I was... frustrated because when you come to think of it, I failed."

_"You didn't fail, mommy,"_ Pan said._ "You didn't. The war's not yet over. We might have lost the battle, but we can win the war. Right?"_

She sighed heavily as she nodded in agreement. "You're right. And we don't have time to lose," she said as she forced back sudden tears. "You take care of your daddy, okay?"

_"Okay."_

_"We don't have much time, we really have to go," _Gohan's voice returned. _"See you soon, my love."_

She slumped against the pilot's seat as static buzzed around her, for Gohan cut the communication off already. She could not help thinking how life had been more complicated than ever. The lives of millions of people and the fate of one planet was now in her hands. And things were not going good. She had too much to handle. Too many things were stuck in her head. She had to manage too many things. And what scared her was the thought that as the days went by, she was spending less and less time with her family. She missed the good old days dearly.

She picked up her comlink. "Mother? Please have the docking bay cleared, I'm going down."

"I don't think he's coming," Goten said in a sad tone as he stood outside the church, ebony eyes darting around. "I don't think he even knows." A hand rested on his shoulder, and he turned his head to the side slightly to see the Saiyajin no Ouji. To his surprise, however, Vegeta didn't scowl nor smirk. He actually look concerned, he actually looked worried. This puzzled Goten greatly, so he asked, "What is it, Vegeta? Something troubling you?"

"Not me, brat. Not me," he said. "You. You're the one with a problem. What is it?"

Goten sighed heavily as he fixed the collar of his shirt. "Otousan. He's not... I don't think he's coming. And... this is one of the most important days of my life. Yet he won't be here for it." He then looked away as he felt tears coming to his eyes. He wanted to hold them back, because it was humiliating to burst into tears in front of the Saiyajin no Ouji. But Vegeta was silent. He did not give any comment, whether a sincere one, or just of pure sarcasm, and that made Goten realize that it was okay to give in to his emotions. "When Gohan was married, he was here. When Pan was baptized, he was here. He had always been around for Gohan. But not for me. Somehow, I feel insignificant. It's as if... he never wanted me. He's always taking me for granted, he's always away on the most important days of my life. Sometimes... and right now... I wish that you were my father. Because you're here, and you understand."

"Don't go emotional on me, brat," Vegeta said with a snort, although it was obvious that he was kidding. He sighed. "I guess it wouldn't be wise to make you upset any more. And my sarcasm doesn't seem to get to you."

"I don't know what to do, Vegeta."

He shook his head. "I don't know what you should do either. You should ask the woman, she's the person my brats turn to when they're upset."

"She won't understand," Goten managed to choke out. "She won't. She'll just defend my father, just as my mother would. Just like Gohan would. Just like everyone else would. They'll all say that _Goku is a good man_, _Goku knows what's best for you_, and all that excuses they can come up with. They just don't understand how painful it is..." he paused to wipe away a few tears. "They don't understand."

Vegeta snorted once more. "Enough of that, brat. You're making yourself look like a weakling." Then, he smirked. "If you really want to consider me your Otousan, then that's fine by me. Just don't let the woman know, or anyone else for that matter, for they'll think I've sunk so low to even consider Kakkarot's clone as my brat. And remember, brat, I'm only doing this because you've done so much for me. I'm just returning the favor... my son."

Tears filled Goten's eyes as he looked at Vegeta with much gratitude and delight. For so many years, he had looked up at Vegeta as his own father, but now, his _father_ finally considered him as his _son_, even though not really by blood. In his joy, he hugged Vegeta tightly, continuously saying, "Thank you!"

_Damnit, Kakkarot... _Vegeta thought._ You've made me too soft._

However, a sincere smile flashed on his features for a few seconds as he encased _his_ brat in a hug, but when they pulled away from each other, his smirk was once again planted on his features. However, he scowled thenafter as if nothing happened. "Don't do that again, brat," he warned. "You're making me look like a sissy. And you better dry that tears of yours, you're showing too much of your weakness."

And he walked away. But for Goten, Vegeta just did something very importantant for him, when he's supposed to hate him. After all, he is the son of the Ouji's greatest rival. But no, that fact seemed to have been deleted from Vegeta's brain as he did one thing that made Goten a lot happier on his wedding day. He had officially walked into his life.

Goten smiled. _Arigatou, Otousan._

"GET THAT BLASTED MACHINE FIXED!" Seth barked at his pilots. "Sabreurs are closing in, so hurry up and get that damn hyperdrive machine fixed!"

His men continued to work as if they were in a frenzy. They rushed back and forth, to and fro, determined to fix the hyperdrive machine before Seth would blast them all from existence. However, due to their panic, they did the methods wrong, which made the Hakaijin warlord furious than ever. In his anger, he shoved all his specialists aside and worked on the machine himself, until the alarms in his ship all went off at the same time. "NOW WHAT?!"

"A Sabrean fleet is closing in on us, my lord. It's headed by the ship _Silmeria_."

"SILMERIA?! It's that Emperor! So he finally decided to take matters into his own hands! CURSE HIM!" Seth roared as he scooped up his comlink, and shouted, "ARES!"

A voice noticeably similar to his replied, _"Yes, Seth?"_

"Deal with that Gohan... get your starfighter out, use my fleet and stop them! That'll give me time to fix this damn hyperdrive machine, and then, I'm out of here!"

_"But brother,"_ the one named Ares blurted out in a worried tone. _"You're going to Chikyuu-sei alone?"_

"Do not worry about me, my dear brother. I will be alright. I will not fail. I will return to Hakai-sei with that woman, and we shall begin our reign of terror! It's so close dear brother, our success is so close," Seth snickered, his crimson eyes blazing. "In fact, it's so close, I can taste it."


	8. Thirst

A/N: Everyone, I'm back! And I'm really sorry for the delay! Aside from school, I had a really horrible Writer's Block, plus I got three other fics to write. And the worst part was that my WB was mostly on this fic. ^^; Anyway, here's the new chapter! Although the spacebattle won't be in this chapter yet, even if that's what I originally planned out. And to Celeste haters, you're going to hate her even more in this chapter. To Goten lovers, you're going to pity our dear Goten-sama even more in this chapter. *sighs* I'm mean, aren't I?  
Please review!

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Seven: Thirst

Like an angel descending from the glorious realm of heaven, Celeste walked towards the altar in such a graceful manner that all eyes were averted towards her. Never had anyone looked so majestic --- in Goten's opinion.

Despite the seemingly joyous atmosphere, not everyone present were happy --- the Briefs-Vegeta siblings, Trunks and Keeney, certainly weren't. Keeney, who had been trying to keep herself together as much as she could, was at the verge of breaking down, her emotions tearing her up inside out. However, only Trunks seemed to notice. Only Trunks, who was also troubled greatly by the wedding, troubled by the fact that the woman he so loved, the woman he loved with all of his life, was marrying his best friend.

Goten defeated him _again_.

"Or forever hold your peace," the priest said as he gazed at the crowd, waiting if someone would object with the ceremony currently being held.

Nobody did.

Trunks, despite the fact that he was ready to stop the ongoing rite, did not do it. Although nobody knew that he wanted to stop the wedding in the first place, because nobody knew that he loved Celeste as much as Goten did. He only looked at the ground and dug his fingers on the bleacher he was sitting on at the same time, desperate to fight back the fire that was currently burning, the fire that was ready to burst into destructive flames.

Keeney, on the other hand, just bit her lip.

"Hang on, Goten. We're nearly there. Just hang on," Gohan muttered as he sped up his starfighter, eager to arrive on Earth and assist his brother and friends who were in grave danger at Seth's arrival. He glanced slightly as his daughter, eleven-year-old Pan, who was sleeping at the co-pilot's chair in a rather uncomfortable manner.

As the ball of blue and green came into view, he put a hand on Pan's forehead, and the half-Sabreur, half-saiyajin jolted awake at her father's touch. She then looked around, and when she saw her homeplanet on their ship's monitor, her eyes brightened up in excitement. "We're coming home! At last!"

"Not for long, though."

"But at least we're going to go on a visit."

Gohan could not help but grin, but that smile immediately faded away as he remembered Seth and the danger everyone on Earth was facing. He bit his lip, and then turned back to Pan and said, "Prepare your saber, I'm afraid that you'll have to fight if things get desperate. I don't feel dad's power level, so he might still be on his planet-hopping spree. So be prepared, just in case things will get rough."

"Don't worry, about it, dad. I'm a big girl now."

"I, Goten Son, take you, Celeste Thouvier, as my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, till death do us part. I will love and honor you all the days of my life."

"I, Celeste Thouvier, take you, Goten Son, as my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, till death do us part. I will love and honor you all the days of my life."

The priest smiled as he glanced at the crowd for a second, and turned back on the couple that stood before him. "By the power bestowed upon me... Goten Son and Celeste Thouvier, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Keeney looked away.

With a seemingly nervous expression, Goten turned to Celeste, took hold of the veil that daintily covered her face, and lifted it slowly --- and with a bit of uncertainty. As soon as Celeste noticed her husband's uncertain expression, she teased, "What's wrong? Are you just going to stare at me the entire day and not kiss me?"

"I can't kiss you if you'll keep talking," he teased back as he pushed the veil away slowly from Celeste's face, wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "So if I were you, I'd keep quiet and just---"

Goten froze.

So did the rest of the saiyajins.

And then, to everyone's surprise, Goten pushed Celeste behind him as Vegeta, Trunks and Keeney bolted up and turned towards the doorway. Soon, they heard footsteps.

Loud, yet slow-paced steps.

"I do not like the sound of this," Keeney voiced out as she focused on the approaching figure by the church's doorway. "I do not like this at all."

A tall, lean man dressed in heavy black armor stood in front of the crowd, his eyes glowing and regarding everyone present with a hatred that held no history. Tucked on the belt of his armor was a tiny rectangular contraption; it was black, and it had a button. What is was, nobody knew, for they had never seen anything like it in their lives.

"Who are you?" Keeney asked, and the moment she felt the other's aura, she shifted into a fighting stance. For some reason, she began to feel nervous, although she had no explanation on that development.

The man laughed. "Fools. It is inappropriate to tell you who I am, you who are from such a lowly race. However, I heard that you are rather... extraordinary... fighters, so I guess I should take my time on you."

Their eyes narrowed significantly.

"I am Seth Sa'urc-Rien, a warlord from Hakai-sei in the Outer Regions. The oldest, strongest and smartest. However, to wreck havoc is not the reason why I came here today. I am not here to fight or to purge this planet. I am here for a simple request."

Immediately Celeste gripped Goten's hand and in a begging tone, she whispered to her husband, "Do not let him take me, please..."

Goten turned to Celeste, who was now quivering in fear, and held her by the shoulders in order to help her compose herself. "It's all right, Celeste. He's not here to hurt you. He has no reason to do so."

"No, you don't understand!" Celeste exclaimed as she gazed into Goten's eyes fearfully. "He... he has come for me. I... I escaped, from Hakai. I went to Sabrea to ask for Videl's help, and she sent me here. And then I met you. The reason why I ran away was because... I was to be wed to him... but... I didn't want to... because he... he wants to become the second summoner of the Sabrean circle."

"Second summoner? W-What are you talking about, Celeste?" Goten asked back in a barely audible voice. However, Celeste was in no condition to reply, for she was totally scared out of her wits. In anger, Goten turned to Seth and hissed, "You are not taking her away from me."

"And why, young man, if I may ask?"

"Because I'm married to her."

Seth's eyes flew wide open in shock, and his eyes immediately burned with anger in such a high intensity. He walked furiously towards the human who claimed to be Celeste's husband, but was stopped by Vegeta who stepped in between Seth and Goten. The former stopped in his tracks and glared at Vegeta as he ordered, "Move out."

"Touch the brat and I'll kill you."

Those words did not seem to mean much, but to Goten, it meant a lot, because Vegeta was showing his fatherly side openly towards everyone, even in front of his own son, Trunks. 

However, Goten knew that it was not the time to think of personal matters such as that when lives were at stake, so he walked forward and past Vegeta to face their nemesis. "I'll take it from here, _Otousan_. Trunks, get Celeste out of here. Keeney, get everyone to safety. If it's battle this intruder wants, then it's battle he's going to get."

Trunks set down his best friend's wife cautiously in his room, and immediately he rushed towards his closet, seemingly in search for something. He threw stuff out of his closet in frenzy, determined to find the object that he knew was hidden underneath the pile of junk. He was the CEO of Capsule Corporation, yes, but he had never been _Mr. Organized_. His office had always been a mess, and so was his room. "Damn... where is it?! I've got to find it... I've got to... In case everything else fails, it would be the only way to---"

On the other hand, Celeste sat at the edge of Trunks' bed, still quivering in fear. She knew how strong Seth truly was, and she was afraid that Goten --- as well as everyone else --- would lose and that she would be taken away from her new home. 

As her aura fluctuated nervously, Trunks stopped his search, walked over to her and without hesitation, pulled her close to him, aiming to comfort the frightened beauty. "It's all right, Celeste. It'll be okay. Seth doesn't stand a chance against them. And I know Goten will never let his guard down, because he loves you very much and..."

He swallowed, unable to continue.

"What's wrong, Trunks?" Celeste asked as she slowly regained her composure, feeling so secure in the young man's arms. "Something has been bothering you, what is it?"

He sat by her side, and then looked away as emotions swelled up from inside him, emotions he had been trying to lock up for sometime now. But this time, with the woman he loved alone by his side, he knew that it was time for him to speak up. "I... I love you, Celeste."

"I..." Celeste's voice trailed off as she felt a painful lump creep up to her throat, but she pushed that hindrance away and turned to Trunks as she whispered, "Trunks... I love you too."

The demi-saiyajin froze at those five words, and then he turned to her with a look of disbelief on his face. "Y-You do?" he stuttered as the other nodded, and after she did so, he looked down at the ground in regret. "I was too late, then. If I told you sooner---"

"It wouldn't have made a difference," Celeste answered bitterly.

That caused Trunks to revert his gaze to her, as confusion mixed up with the emotions that were present on his features earlier. "What do you mean... _It wouldn't have made a difference_?"

A heavy, exasperated sigh escaped Celeste's lips as she stood up and started pacing back and forth in front of the young man. "My marriage with Goten was inevitable. There was nothing I could do to stop it, and if we had known that our feelings were mutual, we still would have not been able to do anything about it. I had to marry him, Trunks. Because marrying him would be the only way for me to repay my debt to Videl. It is Sabrean tradition that a debt must be repaid, or the one in debt will suffer for a lifetime." She paused for a moment, and then turned to look at the man she truly loved. "If I had a choice, Trunks. If only I had a choice."

"But I just can't stand here and do nothing! I... I can't let you go, Celeste. I can't and I won't. Not when I know that you love me too. Not when I'm aware that the one you love is I, and not Goten. There must be something I can do! There has to be something I can do!" Trunks exclaimed in a frustrated tone as he bolted up from his position and met Celeste's gaze. 

And then, unable to control himself any longer, he kissed her, with the most passionate kiss he could muster. The flame within him burned with intensity so high, he seemed to have lost control of himself, and when they stopped, Trunks found himself yearning for more. 

He opened his mouth to speak, to beg her not to go away, but that was when Celeste flirtatiously ran down her finger through his lips, and she whispered, "Speak no more."

For the second time that day, their lips touched, not caring at all for who might be affected with what they were doing, because they felt they were right. After all, they loved each other dearly, and they were unwatched. 

Nobody knew love existed between them. And nobody will ever find out.

Goten wiped off the blood that trickled from his lips and through his chin, and then he once again resumed a fighting stance, waiting for Seth's attack, however it may arrive. Just a few seconds later, however, Seth lunged at Goten, and soon both warriors were engaged in a flurry of punches and kicks.

Then they stopped and pulled away from each other, panting.

"You're good," Seth commented as he took up a defensive stance this time. Then, he smirked. "But of course, you're a saiyajin. Your fighting abilities are extraordinary, although you still lack the touch. I heard that you haven't been training for around ten years, and it sure shows."

The look on Goten's face changed dramatically, and the villain wondered what he said to make it change so. The hatred that was reflected on his raven eyes changed in intensity, as if it was now directed to someone else. And it was now directed to someone else, for the mention of the past made Goten's blood boil. "I'll show you what I'm capable of, Seth," Goten blurted out in a threatening tone as he cupped his hands together in front of him. "And you'll see that it was a mistake to take me on."

_This kid is putting all of his anger on me... interesting. I wonder who he is really enraged at? After all, that emotion didn't show until I talked about his past... his past..._

Seth smirked. "Fine then, kid. Show me what you are capable of doing. And I'll show you what I'm capable of doing. It's a fair deal, isn't it? Now then, shall we begin?"

As if answering his question, Goten fired the ki-blast that he was charging up in his hands just moments ago. Seth evaded it with ease, however, and he reappeared behind the saiyajin in the blink of an eye. "Is that it? Is that what you're trying to impress me with? Well you better try again, because it's not working." At that, he lifted up his hand to strike Goten down, when he noticed that tiny balls of energy were floating around them, seemingly ready to attack at the saiyajin's command. "You're not getting away."

"Ah, so this is it, then. Impressive. You managed to charge up all these puny energy balls without me noticing, and at such a short time. My, you've been trained well. If you're after the impression my boy, then I would say that I am truly impressed."

Goten did not flinch, even at that comment. His eyes were focused towards his target, the alien warlord who wanted to take his wife away. He loved Celeste too much to let her go --- and he would never let her go, most especially to a weird space conqueror. 

With that thought in mind, he put his hands in front of him, palms out, and in one swift movement, brought his hands together. The energy balls, who seemed to have minds of their own and plainly awaiting the command of their master, came flying towards Seth, who was standing at the midst of them all. 

As Goten's palms touched, a great explosion occurred --- an explosion so great that he had to shield himself from the ripple of the blast.

A/N 2: I've got no fic to advertise at the moment, since I haven't been reading fics lately, although if you would be so kind, please check out my new fic "If Let Go I Must, Then Let Go I Shall". It's actually a Goten/Bra fic I wrote out of experimentation, and I want to know if I stand a chance at writing stuff like those. ^^; Also, if you want to meet up with other DBZ authors, I suggest you join this group for authors I'm moderating... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dbzahq  
See you there! Hopefully. ^^;


	9. The Shattering of the Mask

A/N: I'm glad that you like the way I'm expanding Celeste's character, although I must say it's pretty hard considering that this woman contains a whole load of secrets. And it amazes me how most of you are like... not THAT apprehensive about her anymore. So anyway, here's another chapter, although I must apologize for not having the spacebattle in detail since I apparently lost my Star Wars touch. ^^; Well I haven't read any SW book ever since Dark Journey (of the New Jedi Order) --- I think --- and so my mind hasn't been working on those kind of scenes recently.

And by the way, Kat, your most-awaited Boxer/Pan encounter (the first "moment", that is) will happen very soon --- most probably in the next chapter --- so you better give me a good review so I'll have enough inspiration to work on it! =P

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Eight: The Shattering of the Mask

"What the---"

Seth pushed back a stray lock of hair and said, "Fool. Do you think you can defeat me with a multiple ki-attack? Do not underestimate me, young man. Looks can be deceiving." He then took up a fighting stance as he asked, "Let's take things seriously, shall we?"

"Damnit..." Goten muttered as he also took up a fighting stance, although he was more on the defensive side now. "This doesn't look good. He's too strong, too full of surprises, too full of power! If this continues, I---"

The Hakaijin warlord disappeared.

Goten's eyes flew wide open, and he looked around in desperation to track his nemesis down. However, he could not sense Seth, for the warlord left no trace of his presence, whatsoever. A thousand possibilities filled Goten's mind then and there, but there was one thought that made him freeze in fear.

The thought that Seth was on his way to get Celeste, and take her away.

He powered up to his second Super Saiyajin level, and took off for Capsule Corporation. However, he was only a few meters away from his original spot when a hand flew to his face and clamped on it fiercely.

"I'm a noble man, thank you, and I have no plans to break my word. I told you that I will fight you --- if you win, I'll leave; if you lose, I'll take Celeste with me and leave. If you think that I'm the type who runs away from battle, or who cheats at agreements, I suggest that you think again. "

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!" Pan screamed as she slid down from the gunner's post from the second level of their starfighter, _Silmeria_. "We found them, but we're surrounded! From the looks of it, they were _waiting_ for us! And we can't make a jump through hyperspace to lure them away at their distance! They've taken formation C-7 and we are SO stuck in the middle!"

"Calm down, Pan. Just calm down," Gohan advised as he pressed a couple of buttons and the formation that the Hakaijin ships formed zoomed into view. He observed the formation thoughtfully for a few moments, and then, he smiled. "It looks like we'll have to blast our way through their defense, then."

Afterwards, he pressed another button and said, "This is _Silmeria_. Hakaijins have taken formation C-7 and are blocking our path for a hyperspace jump. So we will have to pave our own path to get to our destination. Split into four groups and agree on the quadrants you will attack. We will take on the X-Zero over there in upper left quadrant. Is everything clear?"

"Yes, commander."

"Good. Countdown for 60 begins now." 

With that, Gohan positioned himself on the pilot's chair and got himself ready for battle. He was about to put on his helmet when he stopped to look at Pan, who still remained in her position, unmoving. "Pan, what's wrong? We don't have much time, you've got to go to your post now."

She looked down on the floor, embarassed. She shuffled her feet in the same manner, and she fidgeted with her fingers nervously. It looked as if she wanted something from her father, although what that was, she couldn't seem to voice it out. It seemed as though she had suddenly lost her guts.

Her father glanced at the timer. 40 seconds. They didn't have much time, the assault they were spearheading was to start after that time span was over. And there was Pan, stalling. She apparently chose the wrong time to play around. "Come on, Pan! Hurry up! We don't have much time! What is it that you want, anyway?"

"Dad, can I..." Pan paused as she looked at her father straight in the eye, at her attempt to convey her emotions and her desire in the right manner and in the right impression. "Can I _fly_?"

They continued to communicate with their eyes for a couple more moments, and soon after, Gohan unstrapped himself from his seat and gave way for Pan. With a smile, he said, "I suppose it's about time I give you the chance to do so. You're just like your mother. Just make sure you know what you're doing, okay? We don't want to float around here in space like we're stuck in Dead Zone or something."

"Oh, come on, dad!"

"I was just kidding. I certainly do not doubt your capabilities, considering the fact that you beat me for the last five times we had a spacewar simulation back in Sabrea," he blurted out as he tapped her encouragingly on the shoulder, although he said the last part with a bit of sarcasm.

Pan stuck her tongue out at him. "Spoilsport."

"Good luck, then, _Princess_ Pan. I shall be at the gunner's post waiting for your command."

"Whatever," she muttered jokingly as she winked at him. As Gohan left her alone in the cockpit, however, uneasiness and uncertainty filled her. She knew that she was one of the best fighter-pilots in Sabrea --- and the best in her age group --- but she didn't know if her skills were enough to take down an enemy fleet in real combat, and to lead an entire group of fighter-pilots older than her into victory.

"I hope I do this right," Pan told herself as she tightly gripped the controls, waiting for the countdown timer to flash to 0:00. And at the moment it did so, she kicked the ship's engines to life and fired.

Goten squeezed his eyes shut as he crossed his arms in front of him to shield himself from the blast Seth was preparing --- the blast that had the potential to end his life --- when he heard a loud, "BIG BANG ATTACK!" and a deafening explosion that followed it soon after. He tried to look up and find out what had happened, and he saw Vegeta with his right hand held out as he blasted Seth with one of his signature moves.

The next moment, he felt someone lift him up from the ground, and he turned his head to the side slightly to catch a glimpse of Keeney, who was trying to support him as much as she could. 

"Blast it..." Goten cursed with gritted teeth.

"Don't talk," Keeney whispered as she ran her hand softly through his pale and battered face. "Save your strength, home's quite far from here."

"He's not going to make it home," a low voice hissed and their eyes flew wide in shock as they saw Seth emerge from the huge crater on the ground made by Vegeta's _Big Bang Attack_, hurt but alive. He resumed a fighting stance as Vegeta did so, the latter determined to protect his _son_ and make the enemy pay the price, when Seth felt two strong power levels closing in, and he shook his head in an irritated fashion. 

He stood up straight and turned to Goten as he said, "You're lucky, Goten. Very lucky indeed. But it's not over yet. I'm coming back for you. And I'm going to make sure that you won't survive on our next encounter --- even if you have the will of the devil."

And with that, Seth flew off towards the depths of space.

"Oh my baby!" Chichi exclaimed worriedly as she rushed towards her heavily injured son, eager to comfort him, heal him and keep him safe. "What did that monster do to you?! He's going to pay the ultimate price for---"

"That nonsense is enough, woman," Vegeta muttered coldly as he turned around to leave. "You should stop all that talk and get on with what you have to do before we lose him."

Chichi nodded in understanding as the other's words got to her, and then she knelt down to check up on him. A short while later, she took a small pouch from her pocket --- which contained a handful of senzu beans --- and gave one to Goten. Soon after, her son fluttered his eyes open, and that was enough to fill Chichi with gratitude and joy.

"I'm all right, mother. Really, you don't have to worry about it," Goten said as he sat up, supported by Keeney. "I just... lost my fighting touch, that's all." 

He paused to look at Vegeta who stood at a distance, and he mouthed, _Thank you, father_.

Vegeta nodded in understanding, and in reply, he mouthed, _No problem, brat_.

"I don't understand it, though. Why did he retreat all of a sudden? He didn't seem shocked at father's power... it was something else," Keeney voiced out her thoughts, but Bulma just patted her on the shoulder and advised her not to worry about it.

"What's important is that we're safe," Bulma finished.

"For now."

Everyone, except Goten and Keeney turned to Vegeta in surprise, yet it was only Bulma who had the courage to speak up. "What do you mean... _for now_?"

"He's coming back. He's coming back to finish off that brat," Vegeta explained as he nodded his head towards Goten's direction. "And he said that even if the brat has the will of the devil, he won't survive when he returns."

Everyone fell silent.

"I'll be ready by then," Goten blurted out weakly. "I just... got caught off-guard."

Chichi refused to accept that assurance, however. "Nonsense, Goten, nonsense! I will not let that monster near you again, so as much touch you!"

"And how are you going to do that, woman?" Vegeta taunted as he looked at Chichi square in the eye. "How are you going to protect him, when he --- who is a thousand times stronger than you --- was unable to protect himself?"

"Goku will put an end to that intruder!"

The young man was about to intervene at the mention of his father's name, but it was Vegeta who was able to speak up first. "But _where_ is Kakkarot? Where is this warrior you are counting on? Out in the depths of space having a jolly time, hopping from one planet to another, not even thinking of the consequences of his actions!"

"You're wrong, Vegeta," Chichi growled in anger at the insults the man spat about her husband. "Goku isn't selfish. He never was. He is away not to satisfy his own wants, but to become a stronger warrior and thus be able to protect our world and all of its inhabitants."

"Fact. But---"

"But how often will he have to leave?! How long will he have to be away?! For another decade or so?! For another _seven_ years?!"

Goten's sudden outburst surprised everyone, but before anyone else could voice out his or her thoughts, he bolted up and faced them with a face full of anguish, for the mask that Goten had been wearing for so long was gone at that instant. 

With a voice filled with ire that was getting out of control, he exclaimed, "I'm sick and tired of your reasons in his defense! True, he's a hero, but was he ever a father?! To Gohan, perhaps, but never to me! Where had he been for seven years?! He could have agreed to be wished back at his death in Cell's hands, but no, he chose to remain in Afterlife, to train, to train, to _train_! Afterwards, after his return, after we vanquished Buu, what happened?! He lived as if he never had a second son! He spent all of his time with _Gohan_, and then with _Pan_, and I was left behind as if I never existed! Then when Gohan left for Sabrea, where did he go?! He LEFT for a planet-hopping trip!"

"Young man, you will not speak of your father---"

"He isn't my father," Goten countered in a voice that made everyone shiver. "Because he _never_ was!"

As Goten made a dash towards the doorway of Capsule Corporation in tears, Chichi bolted up to run after him, but Vegeta grabbed her firmly by the arm to stop her. "Let him be. The brat needs some time alone."

"Let me go, Vegeta! Let me go! You don't understand, I have to---"

"And what are you going to do? You're just going to make him feel worse, woman! Just give him some time alone, so that his anger will be pacified! Feed him a little speck of your anger and he will explode like a volcano --- he might even destroy the whole world if that happens! You don't want to drive a saiyajin out of control, and most especially not someone like Goten, who had been wearing a mask to make you believe that everything was alright!"

Chichi's muscles relaxed, and a few moments later, when Vegeta was sure that she was already calm, he let go of her. They regarded each other with just their eyes for a short while before Chichi turned around and walked back to where her companions were. However, Vegeta's keen eyesight enabled him to notice that Chichi was actually staggering as she walked, and just an instant after she lost her consciousness, Vegeta caught her.

Bulma started screaming. As soon as she saw her friend's pale features, she yelled at Vegeta continuously, putting all of the blame on the warrior's shoulders. The other, however, only raised an eyebrow, and insisted that Kakkarot's mate should be attended to that very instant. Because of the urgency and the stern tone of his voice, Bulma cringed in fear, and she obeyed her husband's instructions without question from that point on.

_This isn't my job_, Vegeta thought to himself as he laid the unconscious woman at the back of their hovercar. _This is supposed to be your job, Kakkarot, not mine! Damnit! You should be here, attending to your family, not me! You should be here, keeping them safe, not me! But it looks like you're someone that could not be relied on in times of need, unless battle is involved!_

With an audible voice, he muttered, "You are such an insensitive man, Kakkarot. You are such an insensitive man."

A girl with raven hair in pigtails stepped out of a Class-A starfighter and looked around curiously. Then, she started jumping around. "I'm home! And I did it!" Pan exclaimed happily as she felt the sun's warm rays and saw the bright blue sky that stretched above her.

Gohan took a deep breath as he emerged from the ship and commented, "Ah, fresh air. How I missed the days..." his voice trailed off as he noticed that Pan was standing still in the middle of the clearing with her eyes shut tight. Intrigued by the girl's sudden action, he walked over to her and asked her what was wrong.

"I feel a strong presence at a distance, dad," Pan began with her eyes still clamped shut. "I don't think its Seth's... But it's heading straight for us."

Gohan flinched shortly thenafter. 

"Its speed is a quarter off fourth count. And it's..." she paused, and then her eyes opened up suddenly as she exclaimed, "HERE!"

The moment she uttered that word, she jumped up, did a somersault to land a short distance behind where she once was, and with blinding speed, she sent her leg flying towards empty space.

However, the space wasn't exactly empty, for her leg stopped in mid-air as if it just hit something hard, and a short while after, a figure materialized in front of her. He was an extremely muscular man with dark eyes, and hair with the same shade as his soft-looking orbs. He was wearing an orange and blue fighting suit, and he was actually holding Pan's slim leg without trouble. 

"You amaze me, little girl. So strong at such a young age," he commented as he let go of the girl's leg and then dusted off the dirt that stained his suit. Afterwards, he turned to Gohan and smiled. 

"Welcome home, son."


	10. Regret Comes in the End

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Nine: Regret Comes in the End

  
With a guilt-laden heart, Goten rushed towards the hospital where his mother was admitted, together with his childhood friend, Keeney. The moment he found out about what happened to his mother, he immediately regretted all the things he did in front of her a while back at Capsule Corporation, but he knew that regret would not save his mother's life.

Despite that fact, however, he could not help but blame himself for what happened. _I was so stupid! So stupid to let my emotions get the best of me! If only I controlled my temper, this never would've happened. If only I took hold of my feelings, mother wouldn't be here right now, experiencing all this..._

"It's not your fault," Keeney whispered as she attempted to catch up with his pace.

Confusion immediately replaced the emotion that lingered on his features as he wondered how she knew what he was thinking of. He looked at her, wanting to ask the question, but for some reason he was unable to.

Keeney just sighed. "I know you're blaming yourself for what happened, Goten. But it's not your fault. If it was your fault, she would have fainted the moment you turned to leave. But she didn't. She lost consciousness after my father had a short word-war with her. So perhaps it's my father's fault. Perhaps not. But one thing's for sure. It's not your fault."

The young woman's words were soon confirmed when an elder man with thick glasses approached them. He looked at Goten and asked, "You're Goten Son, right?"

He nodded somberly.

"I have something to tell you, and I hope you will listen to my explanation very well, because this concerns your mother. You see, her life is hanging in the balance, and Please come with me to my office and we'll discuss this matter thoroughly."

Color immediately drained from Goten's face the moment he heard those words, and in fact, Keeney had to support him because he was at the verge of losing consciousness. When they got to the office, the doctor began to explain what it was all about.

"Allow me to introduce myself, Mr. Son and Ms. Briefs-Vegeta. I am Dr. Janus Laurts, a specialist in genetics and DNA-RNA technology. Now, you might be wondering why I am the one handling your mother's case when she is supposed to be attended to by a medicine or biology specialists, but you see, her illness has little to do with those."

Goten shifted his position uncomfortably.

"The roots of this illness, or shall we say, _disorder_, that had been plaguing was not caused by pathogens, or anything of that sort. Parasites or other living yet harmful organisms did not cause it either. Her defective DNA and RNA strands caused it. As from what I've observed in the blood tests we conducted, the coils of DNA molecules in her chromatids are somewhat... _ruptured_," Dr. Laurts said as he took out a sheet of paper and a pen to draw a model of a DNA strand. 

Once he finished, he pointed to a certain part and continued his explanation. "DNA is composed of four building blocks, namely, purine, pyrimidine, sugar and phosphate groups --- adenine, guanine and cytosine. This part, which is supposed to be composed of purine, is hollow. Meaning, there is nothing. It's a void, a hole."

He paused to draw another strand of sorts --- RNA this time --- and then, he said, "While in her RNA strands, purine attached itself to uracil. Purine, which was supposed to be in the DNA strand and not in the RNA strand. Are you following?"

Both of them nodded.

"Now, for some reason, this transfer of components seemed to be the cause of the series of illnesses your mother is suffering now, Mr. Son. Although the question is _how_. How could have purine transferred from a DNA strand to an RNA strand? And how could that transfer cause illnesses when DNA and RNA are believed to only be for the replication of genes and the transmission of genetic information or traits from parent to offspring? Thus, I conclude that this disorder will eventually cause the decay of your mother's internal body structure and since there has been no case---"

"In English, please," Goten blurted out as he held his head which was now throbbing in pain at the thought of his mother's current predicament.

Dr. Laurts took a deep breath. "In short, this disorder---"

"There's no cure for her illness, and she'll die within a short span of time," Keeney summarized with a grim expression on her face.

As the truth sunk into his senses, Goten felt as if his spirit left his body right then and there.

"About time you returned, and about time you caught up with the latest events in our little circle, _third-class baka_," Vegeta muttered with a snort as Goku, Gohan and Pan arrived in the hospital. He was standing outside the room where Chichi was admitted with his arms crossed over his chest, taking his usual position as a guardian of sorts.

When Goku tried to go in, he stopped the warrior and pushed him back before he said, "Visitors are not allowed at the moment, except for your persistent clone who threatened to blast this place to pieces if he would not be allowed inside. You do not need to worry, though. The best-known specialists are attending to your mate at the woman's orders. So you and your spawns better sit down and shut up."

Goku sighed. "Still as cold as ever, Vegeta."

The other smirked. "You just don't know, Kakkarot. You just don't know. Now sit down and _shut up_."

The newcomers sat down on the bench that was just beside Vegeta, and waited for their turn to see their loved one. However, as soon as Goku noticed that everyone was more or less dressed very nicely, he turned to Vegeta and asked, "Hey, _bro_(1), what's the occasion?"

"Don't. Call. Me. Bro," Vegeta hissed as he glared daggers at his greatest rival, and then, he scowled. "You idiot! Are you trying to tell me that you DON'T know what today is?!"

Goku fidgeted with his fingers a bit before he replied with, "No, so what is today?"

Immediately, Vegeta felt Goten's aura flicker in anger, and he knew for sure that the brat heard, thanks to their keen sense of hearing as saiyajins. Before Vegeta could answer the other's question, however, the door flew wide open and Dr. Laurts emerged with a distressed look on his face. 

Everyone began asking the specialists all sorts of questions --- except Vegeta, who decided to remain quiet, and Goku, who had nothing to ask because he knew nothing of the situation.

Dr. Laurts held up both his hands and as he did so, they all kept quiet. He cleared his throat for a couple of moments and then he repeated the explanation he gave Goten and Keeney. As soon as he finished, Goku was swelling with rage, greatly upset by the fact that his wife will leave him and his family when they haven't even spent much time together. Then his emotions took control. 

Without hesitation he pushed the doctor away and barged into his wife's room, only to see a young man whose aura was blazing in total anger and frustration.

Goten's raven eyes darted towards the newcomer, and his once compassionate gaze immediately reciprocated into a murderous one. Without averting his gaze, he hissed, "You're not welcome here." 

Goku was taken aback by Goten's sudden coldness, for he did not understand why his son had been so bitter recently. He looked into Goten's eyes to search for the spark of compassion and softness that was reserved for him, but found none. That evidence immediately made him panic, although he tried his best not to show it. 

Before Goku could reply, however, he was once again interrupted by the still ice-cold voice of his youngest son. "What are you waiting for?! Get out of here _now_!"

"I won't," Goku replied with dead calmness as he walked towards his son. "I won't leave. Not this time. Not when I'm needed. Not when I'm needed by your mother."

"And didn't I need you?!" the younger man half-screamed as he rose to confront the man that appeared as a stranger in his eyes. "Didn't I need you, so you left?! You were here when Gohan needed you! Now that mother needs you, you're here! But what about me?! Where were you when I needed a father?! Where?! Tell me!"

The other's eyes flashed with anger for but a moment, for sadness and regret overcame them thenafter. He looked into Goten's burning eyes intently, and then he began to explain. "Forgive me, Goten. I... I wanted to be with you. When you were little, I wanted to be with you more than anything else, but I had to stay in the Afterlife to prevent further chaos, and to make sure that you will grow up in a safe world."

"And when you returned after seven years, you took me for granted! And don't tell me you didn't, because if you truly didn't, then you would have saved me instead of Hercule when Buu sent our world to oblivion!" Goten shot coldly.

Goku could not reply. All along, he thought that his absence would keep his family together and safe from harm. But instead, his absence was tearing up his family from within.

When the older Son could not reply, the younger asked in a huff, "Do you know what happened today?! Do you?!"

Silence took over for a few moments before Goku replied in his usual calm voice. "Someone came. A strong warrior with a power signature that I could not seem to comprehend. He fought... you. I tried to come to your aid as soon as I could, but he fled before I even got close to our world."

The flame in Goten's eyes intensified even more. "That's all?! That's all you know about today?! You didn't know that today... that today was my... my _wedding day_?!"

Goku's eyes flew wide open in shock.

"I KNEW IT! I WAS NEVER IMPORTANT TO YOU! NEVER!" Goten screamed right at his father's face as hot tears cascaded from his blazing, anguished eyes. "I wasted seven years of my childhood, and even more after that, waiting for my you to come and be a part of my life! And above all, I wasted my _life_ in believing that I had a father by the name of Son Goku! Son Goku was nothing more than a hero in my childhood, an illusion of a father who never was!"

"I'm so sorry, Goten," Goku whispered with downcast eyes. "I'm sorry for what I've done I didn't know"

"It's not what you did, _Goku_. It's what you _didn't_ do," the younger saiyajin muttered angrily before he stormed off.

A sigh escaped Trunks' lips, although it was a barely audible one. However, the redhead who snuggled against his bare chest immediately noticed that subtle gesture. Without pulling away from him, Celeste asked, "What's the matter? Is _this_... bothering you?"

Trunks remained silent for a few moments, and with another sigh, he answered, "Yes."

It was then when Celeste shifted her position and looked at the man she truly loved straight in the eye. Her eyes looked both confused and scornful at the same time. "Are you telling me that you're actually _guilty_ with what we're doing? Oh come on, Trunks! You said it yourself --- there's nothing wrong with this, because we're only expressing our love for each other!"

"We're not supposed to do this. Not _now_, that is."

Celeste let out an exasperated sigh as she snuggled against his muscular physique once more. "Lighten up, please. Stop worrying about it. I am very much capable of keeping this secret relationship, thank you. Just think of this as your... lucky night."

"Lucky night, yes," Trunks murmured as he kissed her softly.

"Tell me, Trunks," she began as she attempted to open up another topic to ease the somehow... _tense_... atmosphere. "What's a saiyajin's weak spot? I mean, nobody's perfect, right? Achilles had his _heel_, his only vulnerable spot. Superman had _Kryptonite_. What about you guys?"

He leaned back against the soft pillows thoughtfully. "Hmmm... It varies, actually, because all of us have different weak spots. Let's see..." he paused to shift his position into a more comfortable one. "It's _pride_ for my father. That had been and will always be the cause of his downfall. It had been proven time and again, and he never learned his lesson, unfortunately. As for Goku, it's his _softness_, his _kindness_. He's too kind-hearted, too merciful that he lets the enemy go out of compassion or gets tricked because he believes in the repenting facade they put up."

Unnoticed by Trunks, Celeste smirked.

"For Gohan, it's his _anger_," he continued to explain. "He has the dangerous tendency to go berserk at critical and sticky situations, and once that happens, his rage overrules his common sense. And then, once he starts beating the crap out of someone, he ends up stalling because he enjoys what he's doing! That happened with Cell, and that move of his caused Goku's death. On the other hand, my father's little _princess_, Keeney, is physically weak by nature --- after all, she's a girl --- although it's amazing how her energy attacks pretty much dish out major damage. Boxer's agility is hopeless; Bra's just not a fighter."

"What about you and Goten?" she interrogated with a very interested expression. "What does it take to defeat you two and knock you both out?"

The saiyajin paused as he thought about it carefully, and then he shook his head. "Goten? I don't know. He has changed too much in the past few years. Before, girls were enough to make his head --- and his world --- spin. Now, that technique has lost its effectiveness, not only because he's married and madly in love with you, but also because he has changed greatly. He's no longer the Goten I once knew. 

"As for me..." his voiced trailed off as he pulled her even closer to him. With a smile, he whispered very softly to her ear, "You are my weakness, for without you, I am nothing."

_Your weakness, indeed._

"But I suppose you're not _that_ affected by those, considering the fact that this world is still peaceful and in a good shape. I must say that you guys did an excellent job in being this planet's freedom fighters. Everyone's so blessed to have warriors such as you."

Trunks flushed noticeably at the comment, and then he said, "It's nothing, really. It's just... in our blood. My mother's blood, perhaps. She had always been a strong woman, dedicated in using her intellect to make the world a better place. I guess she influenced my father into using his strength to make the world a better place and not to destroy it, like what he attempted to do many years ago."

"Your family amazes me," she voiced out with a smile. "You have your own story filled with wonderful things that shouldn't have been, but just happened."

"So what is _your_ story?"

She shook her head as she smiled lightly. "Nothing special."

"Oh?" he asked in disbelief. "You're telling me that Seth came here to take you away without any reason? I heard you say something about _second summoner_ and a _Sabrean circle_. What was that all about? Don't tell me it was _nothing_?"

Celeste did not reply.

"Look," Trunks began in an extremely concerned tone. "I don't want you to get hurt, and I will protect you from Seth with my life in the line. However, I must know why he is after you, so that I will also be able to protect what you are hiding from his clutches. You have to trust me, Celeste. Just as I trust you."

"I don't want to put you in trouble."

"You already did, Celeste. You already did," he replied. "When you put one of the saiyajins in trouble, you put everyone else in trouble as well. After all, we are a team. All for one, one for all. So... just spill it out. The sooner you do so, the earlier we can plan out our moves and the earlier we can outline our precautionary measures."

She heaved a sigh, and then, she began narrating her story and the ancient ties that bound her to it. "A long time ago, two races from very advanced planets raced each other in conquering the universe. The saiyajins of Vegeta-sei --- your race --- and the Sabreurs of Sabrea --- my race. Their competition led the Sabreurs to attack Vegeta-sei to eliminate the saiyajins, and it was in Vegeta-sei where the current Emperor of Sabrea used the power of the legendary Seven Spirits. The Seven Spirits are the guardians of Sabrea, and they possess a power that seems to have no limitations. However, the Spirits went out of control for some reason. Luckily, the saiyajins managed to defeat the Emperor --- and the Seven Spirits --- before any major damage was done.

"Males were then banned to take the Sabrean throne from then on, and the females created a new government through the _chosen ones_. The daughter of the Emperor then became the ruler of Sabrea, and the _pillar_ of the Sabrean Circle. She had the authority to use the Spirits' power whenever needed, but only if the priestess of Sabrea, or the so-called _summoner_, summoned the Spirits.

"As years passed, however, rumors developed that the husband of the summoner will inherit the power of the original summoner at marriage, and power-hungry warlords were desperate to get that power. Seth is one of them. He believed that if he was to be wed to me, he would get the right to summon the Spirits --- for I am the summoner --- even without the approval of Videl, the pillar."

"So that's why..."

Celeste nodded. "I still don't know if the rumors are true, though, for it part of tradition in our world that the summoner must do one of two _precautionary measures_ to prevent the possible _sharing_ of the summoning authority. One is to not get married at all, but that would end the bloodline of the summoner, so it was not advisable. The other method was the common practice in Sabrea, and it is..."

"Is...?"

"To _kill_ the husband right after a female child is born."

The younger son of Vegeta, Boxer, swallowed hard in nervousness as he inched towards the raven-haired girl who sat on the bench by Chichi's room. Everyone else had gone after Goten, who stormed off in anger earlier, except for him, and Pan Son, who was forced by her father to stay behind. When he was finally close to her, he took a deep breath before he sat down.

"Hi."

Pan turned her head to look at him, but she did not say a word. She just stared at him, although what her stare meant, he had no idea. She looked as if she was trying to recognize him; she also looked as if he had dirt on his face that was staining his features. Heck, she even looked like she was love-struck at the sight of him!

Embarassment creeping up to him at those thoughts, Boxer immediately pushed those away. He turned to meet her gaze, and then he asked, "You don't remember me, do you?"

She held out her hand in front of him, hinting him to stop. "Don't say a word," she said as she shut her eyes, attempting to recall who he was. 

_She doesn't remember me..._ Boxer thought sadly, averting his eyes to look at the rather dull floor of the hospital. _But who am I to complain? I'm just a nobody. I'm no one special, not even to my own family. So who am I to complain?_

He was about to leave her when she smiled, lowered her hand and opened her eyes, looking into his beautiful blue ones. "Oh come on, _Boxer_, what makes you think I don't remember someone like you?" 

At that, Boxer blushed.

A/N: That extra-long chapter was meant to celebrate the end of our prelims --- ah, the joy, but schoolwork still isn't over, with a project at hand. This was, by far, the longest, so I hope you liked it. Oh, and I'm a good girl! No evil cliffy for this chapter! I'm a good girl today!

(1) - I got that from our dubbed version of DBZ. I find it rather amusing that Goku calls his fellow members in the Z-Team "bro", and I had it here to give Vegeta another reason to get ticked off at Goku. Or something of that sort.

Let's see... a couple of explaining to do here with regards to the reviews I got on the previous chapter. First off, to Dragon Empress --- sorry for the delay of this chapter! I intended to upload it sooner, as I said in my review, but exams held me back. But now, here it is. Second, to Cornbread Me --- yes, Videl is Lorelai's daughter and is older than Gohan technically, but since he aged in the Room of Spirit and Time (Hyperbolic Time Chamber, however you call it) he's still older than her. For Keeney's name, it's taken from bi_kini_, just spelt differently.

And a bit of "warning" here for another piece of work I will soon upload. It's the novel I'm working on (for school), "When Dreams Die", since my friend wants to read it badly and I can't afford to print everything out for her. Now, concerning the warning, it is actually the non-DBZ version of this fic (I couldn't think of anything else to do for school) which is exactly the same as this, except for a few things. Take for example the names, the characters' history, as well as the Boxer/Pan romance --- that will be skipped, since their counterparts have a huge age gap. The rest of the story flows the same way as this fic, so you have two choices: either you read the novel and find out the things that will happen next in this fanfic; or leave the novel alone and wait for the upcoming chapters of this one.

Oh, and I have a fic to advertise! Read "Goten's Revenge" by Dragon Empress --- and it's off to a good start! Although if you like Goku, I suggest you don't read it. The plot may seem common, but it's great, nonetheless.

Now that I'm done with my rant, it's time for you guys to do your part. REVIEW! *goes down on both knees and begs* Pwease?


	11. Two Words Are Enough For A Wise Man

_Author's Note:_ *sighs* I know, I know. I haven't updated this in like... a VERY long time. I'm really sorry, everyone! I've been awfully busy with school, as the first semester is coming to a close --- in fact, it's mastery test week already, and then on the 16th (Three days after my birthday, what a bummer!) will be our midterms. *fumes* I hate school! But I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about it to change the fact that I HAVE to go to school.

Anyway, I felt like updating, so I did, even but the chapter is VERY short. Don't blame me, I don't have much time for these things anymore! I decided to update because I was reminded by the novelized version of this fanfic which I submitted for our English class as my project. My English teacher informed me that my book has been MISSING since the second day of our book exhibit, and that she doesn't know who has it. 

*sighs* So much for writing a best-seller! *gets thrown with tomatoes and attempts to dodge them in vain* I'm just kidding, geez! Don't get too worked up! *forces a smile* Well, so much for that... here's the new chapter for you guys! I know it's short, but... please review! 

**  
Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Ten: Two Words Are Enough For A Wise Man  


"Don't ask me, second-copy idiot," Vegeta spat with his arms crossed, the scowl on his face intact as ever. "He is _your_ son, and thus he is _your_ problem and _your_ responsibility. Not mine. You've given me enough head spasms for the day, so get out of my sight and get lost!"

Goku, however, refused to accept the other's answer. He was desperate to get his son back, and in his desperation he was somehow losing his mind. He looked at the other saiyajin --- his rival and former mortal enemy, to say the least --- with pleading eyes as he begged, "Vegeta, please! I'm begging you, please help me! I want to get him back, I want to get my son back!"

"Where have you been all this time? He had wanted you to be with him, he had wanted you to spend time with him, for a _long_ time --- and I mean _long_ --- but you just weren't there. You either enjoyed your planet-hopping spree too much, or you simply prioritized training over your son --- who, let's say, is your _least favorite_."

"You're wrong."

"Am I, really?" Vegeta asked as his fierce gaze met his pleading, pathetic-looking one. "Am I really wrong, Kakkarot? I don't think so. Tell me, did you spend as much time with Goten as you did with Gohan? Did you spare a few moments to know what was going on with Goten's life as much as you got yourself involved in Gohan's life?"

Goku said nothing.

"Let's see, then. Answer me with a yes or no. Yes or no, and nothing more," Vegeta paused for a few moments to ensure that Goku was clearly with him. Then, he slumped against the wall with his arms still crossed, as always. "Today was your brat's wedding --- did you know about it?"

"No," Goku replied in all honesty.

"Have you seen any of his movies?"

"No."

"Did you even know that your son is an actor?"

Goku paused for a moment, swallowing hard, and then he finally said, "No," with downcast eyes filled with guilt and regret.

Silence took over for a couple more seconds, and it was then when Vegeta decided to put an end to the silence as well as to their conversation. "Let me tell you something, then, Kakkarot. Just two words," the older man said as he moved out of his usual position to hold up two fingers right in front of Goku's face. "Too late."

And with that, he walked away.

"Things have not been going good, to say the least. You heard the unfriendly exchange between Goten-niichan and Goku-san, and you know the deadly disease Chichi-san acquired, as discovered just today. But there's more to it than those. Goten-niichan's wedding was disaster --- this weird alien Seth came and interrupted the wedding to take Celeste-san away, and your uncle nearly got himself killed in his attempt to protect her."

Pan sighed heavily as she walked alongside Boxer. "Don't feel too bad, you're not alone with all that _trouble_. Seth came to my homeworld too, along with his stupid lackeys. And I feel bad because _I_ was the one who told them that Celeste-san's here!" she exclaimed in frustration before she turned to him with a pained look in her ebony orbs. "But I had no other choice! They were armed with weapons that knocked out the best Sabrean warriors in a flash, and they were capable of killing everyone on the planet, including my parents!"

He patted her shoulder, smiling lightly. "It's alright, Pan. I'm sure they understood what you did."

"Dad and Mom had a fight because of me," she blurted out as she kicked a pebble on the pavement that was on her way. "Mom was mad, and I suppose you know how she is when she loses her temper. Dad was trying to pacify her, but I don't think they completely settled the matter when we left. I really hate it when they fight; their voices hurt my ears and their pointless arguments bore me to death."

"At least they only yell at each other when they're fighting. Otousan practically yells everyday, fight or no fight," Boxer said with a sigh as he stopped to look at her. "The house gets really chaotic sometimes, it's annoying. I end up messing up the blueprints I'm supposed to hand over to Trunks-niichan because of their stupid noises."

"Blueprints?"

He grinned. "Trunks-niichan gave me this _job_ of sorts. I've been making the blueprints for the new products and gadges they're developing at Capsule Corporation ever since he became CEO. It's tiring, but I'm glad because I get to do what I want _and_ get paid."

"Ewwwwwww," Pan muttered as she acted like she was throwing up. "You enjoy locking up yourself in your room and facing all those large papers and mechanical devices?! You must be crazy! That has got to be the most boring place in the entire universe, and that job has got to be the most boring job ever! How can you stand it?!"

"Well I'm sorry if I'm not a fighter like you, _Princess_," Boxer countered with a Vegeta-ish scowl before he walked away towards his home, leaving Pan behind. The other demi-saiyajin quickly followed, calling out to him with an apology, but the Ouji's son paid no attention to her.

After all, she hurt his ego.

Time flew so fast that Goten was oblivious to the fact that night had already come. He only discovered that when Vegeta --- who had been standing by watching over him, to his amazement --- woke him up from his slumber. 

"Get up, brat, and go home. Your father's here to watch over her, so go home and rest up."

Goten shook his head in disapproval. "I'm not going home," he said sternly as he gazed at the pale face of the woman who brought him into the world he was living in now. "And no, he is not my father, because _you_ are."

A sigh escaped Vegeta's lips as the older saiyajin took a chair and sat down beside Goten. "You're really stubborn, brat." 

The other did not flinch on the comment, for his eyes still rested on the slim figure lying among the dainty white sheets. Vegeta, on the other hand, just shook his head, and concluded his comment with the words, "But if you insist in watching over her then I'll stay here with you."

"You don't have to, father. _You_ better go home and rest up."

Vegeta shook his head. "You know me, brat."

"You're really stubborn."

"Well, isn't it said that _like father, like son?_" Vegeta asked with a smirk, and both warriors burst into laughter soon after. When their laughter died down, he continued, "I'm utterly serious, brat. Like father, like son. So you should begin paving your future if you want to succeed, just like me."

The other's raven eyes twinkled mischievously at that, and not controlling himself any longer, Goten said, "I suppose you're right, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to destroy a couple of cities to demonstrate what I'm capable of doing. Then perhaps I can take over the world and have everyone be up and about at my command! And finally, we can have all the cake and candy we have always wanted!"

"You're getting out of hand, brat," Vegeta blurted out with a chuckle. "Your childhood fantasies are surging through your head at the very moment with incredible speed that cannot be matched. Ah, the good old days, yes."

Those words made the twinkle in Goten's eyes fade away, however, and sadness filled his ebony orbs just a second later. With a heavy sigh, he murmured, "Childhood fantasies... I had so much dreams and aspirations ever since I was a little boy, yet only so few of them have been fulfilled. Getting loads of cake and candy for dinner, taking over the world... yes, those were some of our fantasies with Trunks. However, there was one thing that I so wanted---"

"Kakkarot."

"Yes, my _father_."

Goku, who had been eavesdropping all the while, turned to leave with a pained look on features. He could not take it any longer. The pain Goten was feeling at the moment, a pain with roots from so long ago, was caused by him. By his negligence, by his wrong beliefs, by his wrong philosophies. 

And now, there was a new person in his place as Goten's father. There was someone else getting all the attention he was supposed to get. There was someone else forming a bond with Goten, a bond he was supposed to form with his youngest son.

Vegeta was right. He was indeed too late.

"If only..." he began, but found himself unable to continue. His heart held too much guilt and regret that no words could stand for what he felt at the moment. 

If only was all he could say.


	12. One Line of Light, One Line of Dark

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Eleven: One Line of Light, One Line of Dark  
Chikyuu (Earth), 796 AD

  
"You seem puzzled. What is it that's troubling you? I see confusion and uncertainty in your often-too-stable eyes. Would you like to tell me about it?"

Celeste, eight and a half months pregnant with her second child with Goten --- Ariadne Son was born four years ago --- just sighed. "I don't understand why you didn't put an end to Goten when you had the chance. You were so close. You almost had him. No one knew that you were nearby, ready to pounce on your unsuspecting prey. And yet you pulled back. Why? I don't think you were threatened by the presence of the rest of the Z-Senshi, including that Sabrean princess, because I know that just like me, you have full confidence in your abilities. That's what I've been thinking, that's what had been bothering me for so long..."

"I see. Forgive me. I had been too occupied in making sure that my plans would go smoothly and without trouble that I forgot to explain to you the complexity of this undertaking of ours, most especially all the bits and pieces."

"I have been keeping my end of the bargain."

He smiled. "I know, and for that, I will give you all that you would ever want --- and all that you're due --- when the time for my empire to rise to its full glory will come. And there's only one more thing I need to attain that end," he paused to look at her. "The right puppet to _govern_ the new order."

"Puppet?" she asked in confusion. "You still need a _puppet_?"

"Yes," he replied as he snickered in satisfaction. "A puppet, indeed. One with the charisma to gain support from everyone present --- no matter what the rules are, no matter how the government system goes. That's the kind of person I need, because I've learned that my ruling ways aren't the best."

"And who, may I ask, is qualified for the job?"

A soft chuckle escaped his lips. "Who is qualified for the job? Indeed, that is the question, and it took me such a long time to figure out the answer. But as I observed my brother's battle with Goten four years or so ago --- such a poor soul, to be exterminated because he refused my help --- which I found in my brother's battered low-class ship, the answer came to me like how light comes into a pitch-black pit."

At that, Celeste's eyes snapped towards Thanatos in an utterly surprised fashion as all the pieces of the puzzle that had been lingering in her mind finally fell into their respective places. With the surprise in her voice at the same intensity, she asked, "Goten?!"

"And that's precisely the reason why I didn't kill him when I had the chance."

She paused as she gathered her thoughts, and then began her attempt to check the accuracy of her theory. "So, you came here to Earth to finish what Seth started. To take the fruit of the seeds he planted. Am I correct?"

He smiled.

"Seth fought Goten not only to test him, but to lure Gohan and Goku back here from where they were. He knew that their return would only cause hostility between them, considering the fact that they haven't been in good terms for quite a long time. And that would tear Goten up inside and render him helpless, in a way. Then there was my task to turn Trunks away from his _best friend_---"

"... as well as to remove a significant figure in the Son household."

"--- Yes, that one too," Celeste muttered, nodding in agreement. "And at that juncture, Goten was _almost_ completely isolated. And once that _isolation_ is achieved, we can easily twist his mind for him to succumb to your bidding. The puppet with the charisma, there you have him."

Thanatos smiled as he stroked the cheek of the Sabreur who stood before him. "Excellent deduction. You never cease to amaze me, Celeste. I was right to take you under my wing after my brother's death --- if I pushed through with my plan to kill you then I would never have had gotten this close."

She nodded with a smirk, but then she pursed her lips together into a frown. "But there's still that arrogant Vegeta to worry about."

"He won't be a problem any longer _if_ we get Trunks to do what he is supposed to do, and taking absolute control of Trunks is what we should accomplish next. He is the key to everything, Celeste. The key to the Z-Senshis' destruction, the key to the awakening of Goten's true nature --- and his true power --- and the key to our success in dominating the universe. However, the key still needs to be pushed to fit into the keyhole, and twisted to pry open the gateway."

"And that's my job."

"Precisely."

She rubbed her belly, soothing her unborn son, before she turned to her hooded companion and smiled in assurance. "There's nothing to worry about, my lord. I've got everything prepared. Seducing Trunks Briefs-Vegeta to our side and against Goten Son will be a very easy job. We'll just have to make him remember all the times Goten had surpassed him, and then we'll let him _taste_ the power the dark side has to offer. Then, he will be ours."

The Chief Executive Officer of Capsule Corporation, Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, pushed the door of their home --- and his _office_, as you can call it --- open, expecting to see a comforting sight of his family together after his rather tiring business meet. However, he found nobody home. He thought that everyone was just tired and that they were all in their respective rooms, resting up, but when he saw a note written in Keeney's handwriting neatly taped on the refrigerator door, his eyes narrowed significantly.

The more they narrowed and transformed into mere slits when he saw what the note was all about.

_Oniichan,_

_Hi! We're at Goten's right now, he suddenly got ill, Celeste's out and there's no one to take care of Ariadne. Mom's here to figure out the cure, Dad's babysitting the little girl --- can you imagine?! --- and I'm here to do the housework. But you don't have to worry, really. In fact, dad says you don't have to come, because we have everything under control. So just rest up, we know you had a long and tiring (and most probably BORING, as always) day. We'll be back soon, we just gotta make sure Goten's going to be alright. Can't let him stay that way when his life is on the line! Seth is still after him, remember?  
See you later!_

_Love, Keeney _

"I'm always the one left behind. The odd one out. The person no one will miss. Goten, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Everyone just _loves_ him. Everyone just _wants_ him. Everyone just _needs_ him. But not me," Trunks muttered indignantly as he took the note and ripped it into pieces, marched up to his room and dumped his stuff on the always messy floor of his always messy room. "I have the looks, the talent, the wealth, the power, the charm, and yet they don't notice me!"

_Yes, indeed. Why don't they notice you?_

He froze as the voice echoed in his head. It was cold and unfathomable. A voice that he recognized, and yet he could not seem to point out to whom it belonged to. A voice that spoke words, and yet he understood the message not through them, but through the emotions it conveyed. It made him _sense_ but not hear; it made him _feel_ but not see.

"Who are you?" Trunks asked, rather perplexed.

_Someone who can help you,_ the voice answered.

The saiyajin pondered on the meaning of those words, when his communicator rang. It was Celeste, the woman he loved and his live-in partner. Although he was only half-listening to her --- for he was too disturbed by the voice to really pay attention --- her last words hit him hard.

For her last words were, "He can _help_ you."

_Help_. There it was again, although he could not understand why he kept hearing the word, over and over again. What did he need help in? He needed help in nothing! He was a man who lived a carefree life --- worry-free, problem-free.

_Who are you trying to deceive?_

He swallowed. True, his life wasn't carefree at all. He had worries, he had problems. But he certainly did not need any help from anyone, most especially not from a weird voice from the back of his head.

_Don't you need help in proving your worth? Don't you need help in regaining your honor?_

His eyes narrowed into slits once more at that.

_Don't you need help in destroying Goten Son?_

Only eight words, and yet those eight words held so much conviction, so much power. As those words echoed in Trunks' mind, images of all the times Goten surpassed his strength and struck a sensitive string in his ego in their _invisible_ feud flashed in his mind so vividly that the chains of his emotions shattered into many Lilliputian pieces.

_Goten, you have gone too far! The time has come for you to pay the ultimate price!_

"I'm coming," he told Celeste in an extremely inert tone before he crushed his communicator into tiny, powder-like pieces with his bare hand, and walked off towards their point of rendezvous.

:: ONE WEEK LATER ::

"Are you okay now, daddy?" Ariadne asked as she bounced up and down on Goten's lap. The demi-saiyajin was now nearly back to full health, thanks to the medicine Bulma made for him.. At the moment, he was playing with his daughter while waiting for his wife to come home, along with Trunks who offered to be with him just in case some problems would arise and Celeste won't be home yet to handle them.

"Yup! As good as new! Now, how would you like to fly?" he asked with a grin as he stood up and threw her into the air with ease. Before he could catch her, however, his vision blurred and he fell back to the couch as he lost his balance.

Luckily, Trunks was just standing nearby, and with his lightning-fast reflexes he caught Ariadne promptly with one hand. He then turned to Goten and exclaimed, "What the hell do you think you're doing, murdering your own child?! You're lucky I was here or you would have killed an innocent soul!"

"Trunks-san!" Ariadne snapped in an authoritative tone, and at that tone, Trunks swore she sounded just like his brother's girlfriend Pan, the bratty Sabrean princess, who was one of the people he argued with the most because he simply hated her guts and her bossy attitude.

Goten's hand flew to his temple as he replied, "I'm sorry, but I don't feel too good..."

"I was just kidding," Trunks said to both Sons with an expression of mock hurt as he put the girl back down and moved to where his best friend sat. "Hey there, buddy, let me help you up."

"Thanks, Trunks, but I think I can handle myself," Goten blurted out as his best friend assisted him and helped him get up. "Can you please do me a favor? I'd like to doze off, would you be so kind to watch over Ariadne?"

The other glanced at Ariadne. "If she would let me."

"Oh just do what you must! Daddy needs some rest!" she exclaimed in her usual bratty tone with her hands on her hips.

Trunks chuckled. "Well there's your answer, Goten."

"Thanks. So, you two enjoy yourselves until Celeste gets back, or until I wake up. If you're hungry, there's a heap of food in the 'fridge, so don't think that I'm punishing you. Just leave some for me, I don't want to starve when morning comes," the younger of the two male demi-saiyajins said with a wink before he proceeded to his room in the second floor.

"So..." Trunks began as he sat back down on the couch, right across Ariadne who chose to make herself comfortable on the floor. "How about we play something? We can't just sit here and stare at each other for the rest of the night. Let's see... Truth or Dare?"

"Too boring."

"Uh... Spin the Bottle?"

"Too common."

Trunks scratched his head as he attempted to think of more games, although it was clear that the little girl did not enjoy his company. "How about Trip to Jerusalem?"

"Too lame."

"Guess and Test?"

"Too easy."

"What about a sparring session?"

"Too tiring. Besides, we don't want to blast our mansion into pieces or wake daddy up, do we?"

"Frontier X-Zero?"

"Do you have a real-time virtual simulator at hand, version Chrono-Millennia X99, Trunks-san?" she asked as she looked at him with one eyebrow raised. When he did not reply, she turned back to her work and said, "I thought so."

A heavy sigh escaped Trunks' lips, although he was not giving up, despite how he hated the little girl's guts. She was Celeste's daughter, yes, but they spoiled her to much thus she ended up that way. He stood up to think of something else when he saw what Ariadne was actually doing. Sprawled on the floor, with crayons and pens scattered by her side, she was drawing a donkey on a large piece of drawing paper.

He got an idea.

"Pin the Donkey's Tail... how about that?"

She stopped and her eyes turned to the older saiyajin, then she shook her head as she resumed coloring. "You said that only because you saw me do this with interest."

"Oh come on, Ariadne! I can't just sit here and watch over you while you draw a stupid donkey! You've got to let me do something!" he reasoned out. Before the other could say anything more, he quickly added, "And no, I do not want to color that stupid donkey!"

"Alright, then. Pin the Donkey's Tail, let's play."

He looked around for a scarf, and finally found one by the laundry bin. He took it and went back to where the little girl was, preparing to blindfold her, while she prepared the donkey and the tail that was supposed to be pinned at its end. When the rest of the setup was ready, she walked over to Trunks and allowed him to cover her eyes with the scarf. He worked on it without trouble, but when he heard the voice that had been haunting him for around a week now, he froze.

_Kill her now, while you have the chance._

"Trunks-san, are you all right?" her voice broke into his consciousness. "I think that's enough, and don't worry, I'm not going to cheat. Now spin me around, will you?"

He obeyed, but as he did was he was told, his mind spun. It was the perfect opportunity to execute his mission, the perfect opportunity to do what he was supposed to do. However, part of him said that he should not go on. After all, she was just a child.

_And allow her to grow up into someone who can surpass another member of your clan? She might seem harmless now, but not in the future. Do you want someone else in your clan to suffer as much as your father did at Goku's exploits, or as much as you did at Goten's achievements?_

Trunks' eyes snapped open.

He will not allow it happen.

As Ariadne walked towards the wall where the drawing of the donkey was pinned, he followed her with light, slow steps so he would not be sensed. When she paused in front of the wall, ready to pin the tail on the donkey, he put his hand close to her neck, ready to strike her pressure point, ready to strike her down for good, just like a ninja would. After all, it was the easiest way to end someone's life --- no blood, no struggle, just a single blow that would cause instant death. Plus, it would leave no evidence against him, because if an autopsy would be conducted, it would appear that she died of natural causes.

"Well, here goes!" she exclaimed gleefully as she reached up to pin the tail, and at the same time, Trunks swung his hand to hit the pressure point at the back of her neck.

Before he touched the pressure point, however, he stopped.

"Aw man, I missed! I can't believe I missed!" Ariadne exclaimed in utter frustration right after she removed the blindfold and saw that that tail was pinned on one of the donkey's hooves. "Oh well, so much for that. Your turn now, Trunks-san!"

He took the blindfold with an expression as if nothing happened, and turned his back against her to put it on, when he saw a shadow dart up the stairs, the owner of the shadow doing his best not to be seen or noticed. Trunks' eyes narrowed significantly at that. There were only three people present in the mansion. Two of the three were in the living room, playing a game of _Pin the Donkey's Tail_; the last was Goten.

And it only meant one thing.

Goten _saw_ him.

_Author's Note:_ That was a massive time jump, ne? *sweatdrops* And for those who read the original Renascimento version, if you remember, Goten only had one child. Now, the reason why that changed because there was a plot hole, and I only noticed it when I was writing this fanfic already. You see, when I was doing Renascimento, everything seemed to flow in proper order, but when I was doing this, there were, "Gee! That can't be, it'll ruin the story!" and other similar plot holes. So if there are other changes from what I had mentioned in the original Renascimento version, the reason would have to be a plot hole. Okay?

Nothing much happened in the six year gap, and the important events that happened were pretty much mentioned within this chapter. Don't worry, there will be scenes where those events will be explained in detail --- and if you have questions, feel free to ask! I'm here to answer those questions!

I also thought of one thing to make the baddie more unique (thanks to an anime called Fushigi Yuugi) and more... annoying. But hey, it's a villain thing! You know, to get them sorta near the line of the invincible? Or something like that. =P Also, I think I will prioritize this more than Renascimento so there won't be any more plot holes that will cause things to change or anything. After all, those holes can get annoying.

Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks a lot!


	13. Contract of the Devil

_Author's Note:_ *starts laughing* RC said it herself, I have a knack for making evil cliffys and psycho Trunkses. It's true, unfortunately. Anyway, here I am once again bringing you a new chapter! Please don't kill me, Trunks-kun fans! *hides* I have nothing against him, I just thought he'd make a great... *suddenly chokes on her food*

This chapter is short... but please review it, nonetheless! I couldn't make it any longer, cuz I like the cliffy! ^-^ So, now that I have said what I wanted to say --- we all know that I DON'T own DBZ, so that doesn't need to be mentioned --- it's time for me to... run! *runs to a space ship and flies to wherever to hide*

****

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Twelve: Contract of the Devil

"Explain."

Trunks froze, and a strange sensation filled him soon after. He felt as if his blood turned into ice all of a sudden, and no matter what he tried to do, he could not walk away. When he realized that there was nothing he could do, he spun around to face the person who called him. His master's glowing red eyes were the only part of his body that Trunks could see in the pitch-black darkness of the sleeping city.

"Explain, Trunks. Why didn't you kill her?"

The demi-saiyajin gathered as much courage as he could to be able to meet the gaze of his master, and with a barely audible voice, he replied, "I _couldn't_."

The other's eyes flickered noticeably in disappointment. "I thought we already talked about it, Trunks. I thought I already made it clear that love and compassion will get you nowhere. I thought you were ready to do what you were tasked to do."

"I know," Trunks intervened. "But I just... I just couldn't do it!"

"Ah. Confidence you lack, my apprentice. But do not worry, I will give you a second chance. And I promise you --- next time, you will not fail."

Those were his last words before the glow in his eyes vanished, as well as his body, into thin air, while Trunks --- confused, frightened and _lost_, all at the same time --- was left in the darkness. 

The darkness had always been his friend, but now he was unsure of that.

A head-splitting pain greeted Trunks when morning came, and it seemed like it would take a while before the headache would actually subside. He reached up for his alarm clock, and the more his head hurt when he realized that he only had ten minutes left before the important business treaty that was to be held in his office.

He pushed himself up, despite of the pain, and mentally told himself that he would ask for a painkiller later. He trudged towards the kitchen to take a quick breakfast, but what he saw when he emerged from his room surprised him greatly. 

At first it seemed normal --- the press, and a few security guards, all ready for the historic business treaty. But when he saw his father and Keeney guarding the door of their home from even _more_ reporters in a very defensive manner, his mother crying her eyes out at a corner, a detective interviewing her, and reporters crowding around the two, fear immediately gripped his heart.

He then realized that something had gone terribly wrong.

Adrenaline flowing through him, he rushed down the stairs, ignoring the fact that the female photographers were feasting on his arrival, as he was practically _topless_ and his muscled physique that drove many women insane was now exposed. "Okaasan!" he called out as he forced his way through the crowd, towards his mother who was clearly in distress. "What's going on?! What happened?!"

"Bra... s-she..." Bulma stuttered as she forced back her tears.

"Where is she?! Where's Boxer?!"

"Boxer is... is in his room. Bra... she---" Vegeta's wife stopped as she inhaled sharply, out of breath at the constant arrival of her tears. "She d-disappeared."

His initial reaction was that of surprise, then it fluttered into worry, and then, into panic. The change in his expression was so drastic that Bulma clearly noticed the transition, and then she realized that there was something that Trunks knew in connection to the disappearance of the youngest of the Briefs-Vegeta siblings, Bra. "Trunks, what do you know?! What is it that you're hiding from me?! Do you know where Bra is, or who might have taken her?! Tell me!"

With Bulma serving as the lead, the detectives as well as the reporters then rushed to Trunks to interrogate him about the case at hand. However, he did not hear any of their questions, for there was only one voice that pounded repeatedly in his head. And he knew for sure that the owner of that voice was the one responsible for his sister's disappearance.

"I _DON'T_ KNOW!" Trunks screamed at everyone who flocked around him as he held his head with both hands, and ran towards his room, seemingly driven out of his mind by what just happened. As he ran into his room, the last words said by the owner of the voice at their most recent confrontation echoed in his mind over and over again.

_Ah. Confidence you lack, my apprentice. But do not worry, I will give you a second chance. And I promise you --- next time, you will not fail._

"THANATOS! SHOW YOURSELF! STOP HIDING AND SHOW YOURSELF!"

A ripple appeared in the space in front of the lavender-haired saiyajin, and not soon after, a figure clad in dark armor stepped out of it, his crimson eyes still glowing amidst the brightness of the day. He fixed up his right glove before he turned to the person who summoned him and said, "My. How rude. Not only do you accuse me of hiding, you order me like you're the master, when it's the other way around. Now, my apprentice, what's the rush? You seem upset and angry. Very angry."

"Where's my sister?!" Trunks growled.

"Ah, Bra... was that her name?" Thanatos muttered in a satisfied tone as he paced around the enraged saiyajin. "I don't know, what makes you think that I have her?"

Trunks faced the warlord and glared at him with ice-cold blue eyes. "I just do."

"By instinct, then? Well, I am greatly impressed by your skills, my apprentice."

"Then you do have her!" Trunks yelled in impotent fury.

The warlord burst into maniacal laughter, and when his amusement died down, he answered, "Of course I do! I promised you that you will not fail in your second attempt at completing your mission, and I intend to keep my promise!"

"Where is she?!"

"Now, now, Trunks, there is no need---"

"WHERE IS SHE?!"

Thanatos put a hand on his apprentice's shoulder. "Patience, young man, is a virtue," he said, and then he walked behind the young warrior. "And as for your question, you'll have the answer when you wake up."

Trunks did not get the chance to prepare for the blow that was coming, for Thanatos' hand movement was so swift that it struck the pressure point at the back of young man's neck in the blink of eye.

The demi-saiyajin dropped to the ground, unconscious.

**KILL.**

**KILL.**

**KILL.**

That was the only thought that pounded in Trunks' mind as he rushed towards Goten's mansion like a raging storm. Never had he felt so angry in his entire life. Never had his head swelled with so much fury in his entire life.

**KILL.**

He would not hold back anymore. He would not let his emotions get in the way anymore. He would not commit the same lethal mistake ever again. Now, he was going to do what must be done. He was going to do what he was told.

_I'm going to kill you._

The demi-saiyajin practically didn't care, didn't _think_ of what was going to happen next, for the rage that swelled inside of him was overruling his common sense. Only _revenge_ was on his mind, revenge and nothing else. For the life of his sister, for the blood of a Briefs-Vegeta, for the extermination of another member of their clan, Ariadne Son will pay the price --- and she will pay the price _dearly_. 

She might be Celeste's daughter, yes... but he wasn't the father anyway.

_What have I got to lose?_

"Trunks-san!" Ariadne exclaimed as soon as she spotted her father's _best friend_, and she hurried towards the gate of her home to invite him in. Before she completely opened up the gate, however, she stopped and turned to him knowingly. "Oh, let me guess. You're here to give me my birthday present! Right? _Right?!_" she asked as she raised her eyebrow threateningly at the last question. After all, it _was_ her birthday, and that celebration was precisely the reason why her parents were out. To do some shopping for their beloved daughter.

His eyes narrowed at those words, but then he decided to put his anger aside and just play along. He then forced a smile and said, "Let me in first, then I'll give it to you."

Eager to get her present --- she was a kid, after all --- she quickly invited Trunks inside and led him towards the living room. The moment they sat down on the couch opposite to each other, she asked, "So where's my present?"

The older demi-saiyajin looked at her with cold, lifeless eyes. "I think you deserve a break, a vacation. I mean, you do need to relax and have fun. Since I'm your friend, I've decided to give you a very special present. After all, you deserve this."

"So what and where is the present?" she asked, not noticing the other's icy gaze.

"A ticket for a trip," he answered as he stood up and reached for something in one of the hidden compartments of his vest. He then glanced towards her and smirked. "A very special trip."

Ariadne looked at him, excited more than ever. "A trip? Cool! A trip where?"

"A one-way trip to the Afterlife."

Her eyes flew wide open in shock as soon as those words left Trunks' mouth, words that were simple enough for a little girl to understand. The look of fear and shock in her features pleased him greatly, and his eyes sparkled with much delight as he advanced, tightly clutching the pocketknife with his gloved hand. "Yes, you heard me right, girl. _A one-way trip to the Afterlife_. So it's time to say bye-bye now, Ariadne, because you're not coming back."

She was too paralyzed in fear that she was unable to move out of his attack range. She was too frozen in shock to run away from the man who was going to kill her. She was too scared to move a muscle, too terrified to even let out a scream.

Trunks had officially signed the contract of the devil. 


	14. A Lesson on Obedience

_Author's Note:_ I know, I know, I haven't worked on this for a really long time, and I'm sorry. It's partly due to lack of inspiration, and the oh-so-evil Writer's Block. So, consider this update as a New Year's present from me. Or something like that. ^____^;;

A big THANK YOU to **Mari **(animegirl3) for inspiring me to work on this again. Your review really did it, you know? Oh, and about the novel I submitted for our English class, patterned after this? I'm the only one who got the perfect score. *beams* Although it's only because I was the only one who did something original, not rip-offs from some other literary pieces or compilations. Nothing to brag about, I'm afraid. ^__^;;

Please review!

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Thirteen: A Lesson on Obedience

  
She screamed.

The goofy, loopsided grin on Goten's features was immediately extinguished as his wife's voice shattered his jovial moment. Fear and a sense of dread overcame him, and he rushed to her side as fast as he could. "Celeste!" he called out as he came to a halt beside her. "What's going on? What happened?"

Celeste pointed a quivering finger to the limp figure lying on the floor, her face as pale as sheet. The color of her eyes faded to admit a whitish hue that mixed with the existing shades, and different emotions lurked from all corners of them. She did not speak, for even if she wished to, she found herself unable to do such an act.

There was a blur, and Goten dropped to the ground, unconscious.

"How could you," she whispered in utter disbelief, her entire body shaking. Upon seeing the face of the one at fault as he stepped forward to stand directly in front of her, anger surged through her veins like a devastating tsunami. "How could you... how could you do this to me? How could you do this to me?!"

"I'm sorry... I had no choice."

"No choice?! You had _no choice?!_" she asked, her voice rising in pitch as the seconds passed. She was glaring daggers at him, and her hands were clamped into fists by her sides, trying to stop her anger from exploding in full force. "Don't tell me that you had no choice on the matter, don't you dare tell me that! You should have---"

He hung his head. "I know I should have. But I was... I let my feelings get in the way. It was my mistake, and I'm sorry for that." Lifting his head to meet her furious gaze with his apologizing one, he sighed as if he had just given up on something important. "There was nothing I could do; _he _wanted her dead. I'd rather lose her than lose _you._"

All of a sudden, stinging tears came to her eyes, and it was as if she was not angry in the first place. She held his gaze for a while, as if assessing him inside-out, and then, she threw herself into his strong, waiting arms. "Torankusu, _you baka..._" she muttered, sobbing without holding back to release all the pain she felt, the pain that was crushing her from the inside. "Hold me, please."

She did not want to talk. She just wanted to be held.

He just held her.

_"Boxer? It's Pan."_

Flopping himself on his pillow-infested bed, the demi-saiyajin rolled his eyes. Sarcasm was definitely coming up next, as their argument a week or so ago --- give or take a few days --- was still vivid in his memory. Scowling, he replied, "Why, hello there, Your Worship! Lovely day, isn't it? How are you, if I may ask, Your Majesty? And how may I be of service to you, oh High One?"

_"Look, I just... I'm sorry," _Pan's voice came, and a heavy sigh followed it. _"I didn't know you---"_

Suddenly, it just came to Boxer that there was no need for him to hear her apology, and that he didn't have time to spare for another argument with the spoiled princess of Sabrea. He had a job to do, he had to figure out what happened to his little sister and where she would have gone off to. In case he would have to take matters into his own hands. "Forget it," he said, getting up, pulling a fresh set of clothes and sparing a glance at his alarm clock while balancing the telephone skillfully on his shoulder. "I'm tired of arguing with you."

_"No. I shouldn't have---"_

"I said, _forget it. _So just forget it, okay?!" he snapped, losing the composure he had worked so hard to keep up in their conversation. Silence greeting him in response, he blurted out rather exasperatedly, "Thank you!"

It took quite sometime for Pan to recover, but the demi-saiyajin was patient enough to wait for her to speak up. _"Alright, then that issue is good as forgotten. I trust that you will not bring that up in the future? And hopefully, with your cooperation, all this ridicule will come to a stop," _she voiced out in her usual authoritative and so-sure tone. A short while after, however, her voice switched to that of pure concern. _"Boxer, what's wrong? Something's bothering you, I can feel it. And I can help you, I'm sure I can!"_

"Don't play psychiatrist on me, Your Grace."

Silence.

Pan heaved another sigh, although it was evident that she did not mind the mockery that just took place, most probably realizing that she had hurt Boxer's ego once again. By asking him what was wrong, and by offering her help. She knew, as she was part of the race herself, that saiyajins were warriors full of pride, most especially those belonging to the royal family. Boxer was part of the royal family, and it was logical that he was prideful in the very same way. His demure nature just made it vague and subtle. _"Well, if you don't want to talk about it, I won't push it. Knowing you, it'll take me forever to convince you to spit it out. I just want you to know... if you need me, I'm here. Just drop me a line or something."_

Still nothing.

_"I guess that's all I have to say. Umm... see ya around, Boxer."_

"Don't go," Boxer suddenly said in a _pleading_ tone as he leaned back against the comfortable pillows of his bed with his eyes closed, as if in meditation. The line fell silent once again for a few moments, but the other simply waited. After what seemed to be eternity, the youngest son of Vegeta opened his eyes, pain shining out of them like the bright rays of the sun. "It's Bra. She... she disappeared."

A cruel, twisted smile on his pale features, the dark lord of the Hakaijins stepped out from a portal. His flowing black robe, blending perfectly with the pitch-black hue of his warphole, intensified the glow of his sharp, crimson eyes that were glittering with happiness that was beyond the levels of sanity. His smile that was already intimidating in its own way grew intolerable the moment he looked down at the lifeless body that was in his arms.

Long, blue-green hair; deep, cerulean eyes. There was no mistaking who it was.

He dumped the body into the Briefs' front porch, inhumane satisfaction evident on his features. He then bent down, extended a finger tipped with a dangerously sharp talon, and made a quick slashing motion. The wound he caused on the young woman's neck was unusually thin, but it was also unusually deep, evident in the amount of blood that flowed out of it. Dipping his finger into the pool of ruby liquid, he began writing his message to his apprentice --- who, in one way, succeeded, and in another way, failed.

**  
Lmuodg wel le sixu duhnr. Lmuodg wel le duigew jmr.  
Lmuodg pal le qe iwq qou.  
  
  
**

Blood.

He forced his too-heavy eyelids to open up, and the sight of a dark, crimson-colored fluid greeted his still blurred vision. He dipped a finger on the liquid and put his stained hand in front of his face to examine what the liquid truly was, and to confirm if his still numb senses were telling the truth that he was lying by a pool of blood.

And indeed, he was.

He pushed himself up, although his strength was apparently diminished that he was in danger of slamming hard --- face down, which would probably worsen his condition --- on the hard, concrete floor. When he finally regained his composure --- and all his senses activated into their maximum capacity --- he froze in total shock. Bathing in the pool of her own blood was Ariadne, murdered in her own home on her birthday.

He bent over to examine her, panic --- as well as hope of sorts --- rippling through him. All his hopes sunk, however, the moment his hand came in contact with her skin. She was as cold as ice, as pale as sheet, as inert as a helium atom, and as spiritless as a chunk of metal.

She was dead.

Denial overcame him the moment after. He refused to believe that she was dead, he refused to accept that she was gone forever. He began shaking her, hoping against hope that she would flutter her eyes open and tell him that it was all a joke, and she would laugh and giggle and call him silly, the smile that had always been warm and pleasing planting on her features.

But she did not stir. She did not open her eyes nor move a muscle.

She was _dead_.

He buried his face in his hands, mourning on the loss of a loved one, bemoaning on the horrible end that a child as young, as innocent and as sweet as her achieved. He paused, however, as a nose-wrinkling scent caught his attention. He looked around, but could not find the source of it.

Until he looked down to examine both his hands.

He backed off at the sight of his hands, his trembling hands, his hands drenched with sweat --- and blood. His eyes darted around in panic --- to Ariadne, to the blood on the floor, to the knife that lay by the victim's side, and back to his hands. "No... it can't be... It's not possible... I can't possibly..." he murmured with tightly shut eyes as he attempted to remember what had gone a few minutes before. 

But all he saw a hollow pit of darkness --- a void --- clouded with an atmosphere that made a chill run down his spine.

The door flew open, the vibration of the forceful blow rippling through his subconsciousness, as well as the booming "FREEZE!" that followed soon after. Left without a choice, he raised his arms up in a surrendering motion and spun around to meet his fate. A police officer moved towards him with a partly amused grin on his face and grabbed both his wrists to handcuff him.

"What did I do?" he asked, still dazed and confused at what just happened, and at what was going on.

The officer raised his eyes to look at him, and with a smirk, he blurted out, "Well, Mr. _Nice Guy_, you are under arrest for the murder of Ariadne Son. Anything you say can _and_ will be used against you, so if I were you, I'll just keep my mouth shut until we reach the police headquarters. Stop insisting that you're innocent --- because we caught you red-handed."


	15. The Twisting of the Mind

Author's Note: I don't believe it myself, but here's an update! I apologize if this took a while to get out, but I do hope you understand the situation I am in. I'm still busy with rehearsals for our school play, and I've got more than three fics to work on. *smiles sheepishly* Anyway, please review and tell me what you think, as I haven't worked on this fic for a _long_ time.

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Fourteen: The Twisting of the Mind

  
"You're insane! Goten is innocent, he will _never_ kill his daughter, nor my sister!" Keeney exclaimed in utter fury, bolting up from her seat to address the detective who took up the case of Bra's murder, Anji Miromoto. Before the other could say a word to support the statement he just gave out, she snapped, "There is _nothing_ to explain! Goten is a good man, I've known him since childhood and I have full trust in him! I will not listen to your lies any longer! You've said enough!" and stormed out of the room.

"Keeney! Keeney, get back here---" Bulma called out to her daughter frantically, but the Saiyajin no Ouji grabbed her by the arm to stop her from running after the girl. They looked at each other silently for a few moments, and then, the woman settled back into her seat. At that, she asked, "Is it true that you he was found in the area of the murder a short while after it was reported?"

The detective nodded with narrowed eyes. "Yes, he was in his house, at the very heart of the murder, although he denies the fact that he killed her. Although it would seem impossible for someone such as him to kill his own daughter, but all the evidences point to him. The knife found in the crime scene had his fingerprints. Now, regarding your daughter, we found out from the autopsy that was conducted that your daughter had 23 stab wounds, most of them in accurate pressure points. Not even the best assassin in the world can do that in such a short span of time, and thus, the killer had to be someone in your league. And who do we get when we combine all the facts together? Goten Son."

"I don't know see any reason why he would kill his own daughter," Bulma voiced out once again, not believing what the investigator just said about the demi-saiyajin she had grown to recognize as part of her family, though not by blood. "No father would ever want to spill the blood of his own kind."

"Unless of course, something happened to him that made him transform into such a man," Trunks suggested, snapping out of his silence. All eyes then darted to him questioningly, and he leaned back on the chair in a lazy fashion. "_Why_ is the question, isn't it? The answer is simple, and I'm surprised that nobody has noticed what has happened to him until now."

His mother's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Don't get me wrong, Okaasan, I was not trying to imply anything bad about him. He's my best friend, after all. What I'm trying to say is that something has been terribly wrong with Goten and you all failed to see it. You've all been too busy with other matters that you didn't notice that something has been happening to him," the lavender-haired saiyajin replied, pausing to look at everyone present in the room. When he was sure that their attention was completely on him, he continued, "Remember when he was sick? Around a week later, when we were in his place babysitting Ariadne, he suddenly grew dizzy and he was forced to rest up early. Before I left his mansion when my duty was over, I went to his room to check up on him, and he was... _delusional_. He suddenly just got out of bed and began talking about death, bloodshed, annihilation --- and then, he collapsed."

"And...?"

Trunks took a deep breath. "I called up my colleague and asked her to examine him. Physically, Goten was fine, at the verge of recovering but he was disturbed. When I told her what had happened in his life, it was then when she concluded that he was suffering from a mental disorder. In fact, she even told me that he might be schizophrenic."

All their eyes widened in surprise and disbelief.

"To put it simply, he's gone insane. Thus, he cannot be blamed for anything, because what happened was beyond his control," Goten's best friend said with finality in his voice.

The detective looked at him, not believing what he just heard. "From what you just said, it seems like your requesting that the possible charges against the suspect be dropped."

"By all means, yes. At the moment, he doesn't need to be locked up in jail or confined in some place that would cause him more suffering than ever, because I believe it is that _suffering_ of his that caused his present condition. He needs treatment; he needs rehabilitation. And if none of you will agree to my proposal then I will be forced to have it executed to the extent of my personal capacity. I cannot stand the thought of my best friend being a lunatic --- and not most especially when he's almost going to be a father once again."

Bulma bit her lip in contemplation, and a short while after, she blurted out, "I'm afraid I have a part in his current condition. The medicine I gave him might have disrupted something in his body or in his metabolism, and in turn caused the disorder he's suffering now. The death of my youngest child is hard to bear, but I'm not pushing through with the charges. Clear Goten out of this mess and get him fixed up."

"You have my support, brat," Vegeta simply said with his arms crossed in front of his chest. "You have my full support."

"Very well, then," the detective said as he stood up, his precious documents held close to him. "I shall now call the officer who's in charge with your cases so he can take things from here, for I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do. Please wait."

"The press will surely be feasting on this controversy --- think of all the stories they can come up about us! Our reputation is doomed! You know the press, we can't trust them! They will twist the truth to come up with crowd-attracting stories and put us in jeopardy!"

Vegeta only snorted. "I presume that is all you every think about."

The tone of the older man's words made the younger warrior turn his eyes questioningly at his father and ask, "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, brat," the Saiyajin no Ouji answered, looking at his son intently. "All you ever think about is your _fame_, your _name_, your _reputation_. All that ever matters to you is your _honor_, your _dignity_, and your _pride_. You're very selfish, very self-centered --- I won't be surprised if you'll trade your soul to the devil for such desires."

"As if you're not _selfish_, _self-centered_ and _arrogant_," Trunks countered angrily.

Before the older of the two could reply, the door swung open and two other members of the Son family scrambled in. Celeste walked into the scene first, with slow but sure steps, followed by Goku who had been aiding her towards the police station. At the sight of her, Trunks bolted up from his seat to greet her with a kiss --- luckily, he remembered not to kiss her on the lips, not in front of others --- and then led her out of the room and somewhere else to explain what just happened.

Vegeta, on the other hand, just smirked up at Goku, whose eyes wandered around in an extremely concerned manner. "So, you've decided to come as a concerned and loving father. Well, Kakkarot, I suppose you won't listen to what I have to say, but you shouldn't bother, really. He no longer needs you, and he no longer cares whether you're here or not."

"Thanks for the advice, Vegeta, but I insist on staying here," the younger of the two purebloods replied coolly.

"Suit yourself, then. Make yourself comfortable. I just hope you won't actually believe that your brat is a murderer. "

Goku's dark orbs froze as he stared at the other in utter disbelief. "W-What?!"

"They're accusing him of murdering my brat, Bra, and your grandbrat, Ariadne. The heavier case is on the latter, though, considering the fact that they found him in the crime scene --- and they found his fingerprints on the knife that was used in killing the girl. Luckily, Trunks testified that his friend --- a psychiatrist, perhaps --- diagnosed your brat of having a mental disorder of sorts, so he has a lesser chance of ending up in jail. The officer-in-charge still has to investigate on that matter, though," the Ouji narrated, then he paused as he met his companion's gaze. "I don't believe them, though. Not even my brat's words that Goten is insane. For all we know, he could have been framed up, or something of that sort."

The other saiyajin asked as he sat down beside his rival-turned-friend, "Who would do such a thing?"

"I'm not certain," Vegeta admitted with drastically narrowed eyes, "But I have one suspect in mind. He vowed to return to finish off the brat, yet it had been nine months since their last encounter, and he's nowhere in sight. Maybe he's preparing for a great reappearance, or he's executing his plans to crush the brat in some other way."

"Sa'urc-Rien?"

Vegeta nodded.

"Well, the message said..." Trunks paused to get a piece of paper, on which the bloody message was scribbled in a hasty manner. He then looked at Celeste with serious-looking sapphire eyes before he read what he had jotted down. "_Lmuodg wel le sixu duhnr. Lmuodg wel le duigew jmr. Lmuodg pal le qe iwq qou_. Sabrean, if I'm not mistaken? What does it mean?"

The young woman's face was a salad bowl of emotions. "Oh... you should've done what he told you to when he said it the first time! He doesn't like to wait, most especially if he gives first-hand orders," she chided, shaking her head. "You see, the message translates to a popular Sabrean quote: _Theirs not to make reply, theirs not to reason why; theirs but to do and die._ And that is what he himself firmly believes in. That his disciples must obey his every word."

The demi-saiyajin's hand was then clamped angrily into a fist. "He shouldn't have done that!" he protested, but then he realized that it was useless to do so. He hung his head in silence for a while, thoughts streaming into his head, and when he looked back up at her, his ice-blue eyes burned with a different kind of flame that even Celeste herself could not comprehend.

She was only sure of one thing: Trunks had changed.

"Look," Goten began with a growl as he planted his fists on the table. "I will say this for the last time. And I want you to pay attention. Listen, read my lips, whatever! Just make sure you understand what I have to say! I. Am. Not. Insane!"

The psychiatrist only chuckled at the demi-saiyajin's outburst. "Oh, really? Very well then. You're not insane... you're just _schizophrenic_." And at that, the thin, freckle-faced man burst into maniacal laughter that made Goten's blood boil.

"It's not funny!"

"Ah, yes, it's not," the other replied as he looked at Goten with amused eyes. "Let me tell you something, Mr. Son. I've got the papers here," he said waving the folder he was carrying, "And the result of the analysis on your history proved that you do have a mental problem. I'm afraid that there's bound to be a crazy guy in a family --- and you're the one from your household. But there's nothing to worry, really. I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay in the ward. Your strength will give you glory there. That's what I'm sure of."

The young man glared daggers at the human, and when the other's gaze did not falter, he began to grow hysterical. He bolted up all of a sudden and attempted to do everything he could to defend himself from the false accusations of the man who stood before him. "I'm innocent! I didn't kill Bra, and I didn't kill Ariadne! She's my _daughter_ for crying out loud! You have to believe me! I'm telling the truth! I didn't kill anyone, I swear!" he exclaimed hysterically, and when he saw that his efforts were failing, he decided that it was best to let the truth go. "If there's anyone who tried to kill Ariadne, it's Trunks! I saw him! I saw him with my two eyes! He attempted to strike her down while they were playing a game! If there's anyone who tried to kill anyone, it's him!"

"Now, now, Goten, you have to calm down," the old man said as he stood up and walked towards the other to subdue him, thoroughly convinced that the demi-saiyajin was indeed out of his mind. "Everything will be fine, trust me."

"But I didn't kill them! Do you believe me? Do you?"

The specialist knew that he had to play his game for a while. "Yes, Goten. I believe you. But there's nothing to worry, everything will be fine," he muttered before he stuck a syringe into the young man's arm and injected into the warrior's body whatever was inside --- which was most probably a fast-acting sleep-inducing drug.

The move was so sudden that Goten screamed out of reflex. He plucked the syringe out of his arm and threw it away, and after he did so, he inched towards the psychiatrist with sharp, threatening eyes. Without warning, he took the old man by the neck and attempted to choke him to death --- but before he was able to do so, his vision blurred and his muscles grew numb.

"Sleep well, Goten Son."

Those were the last words he heard before he stumbled back into the darkness.

"Great job, my apprentice!" a voice thundered from behind Trunks, who stood alone in a dark, deserted alley, and as the demi-saiyajin turned around, he saw his master, Thanatos, emerge from his means of transportation --- ripples in space. 

"Who's next?" the son of Vegeta growled.

The dark lord held up his hand. "Now, now ---"

"Who's next?!" he demanded.

At that, Thanatos gave out an amused chuckle. _Things are going a lot better than expected. With Goten Son out of the way, I can now begin the step-by-step destruction of the freedom fighters, until none of them will be left to protect the world... and the universe. And once my apprentice's task is done, I will dispose of him without warning. Ah, the greatness of a dark god, indeed._

Noticing that Trunks was growing very impatient, he smirked, "I know you thirst for more, Trunks. But you should take things slowly, and plan everything out carefully. You're lucky Goten came and you were able to pass on the blame to him... but now that he's out of the way, you have to be careful not to fall into a situation that will put you in trouble. Each of your missions must be carried out carefully and you must leave no evidence. Plan things out carefully --- it will take time, but the rewards will be fruitful."

"I don't need you to tell me what to do," the demi-saiayjin blurted out in a stubborn tone before he spun around to leave.

Thanatos followed the young man with his eyes, and he muttered, "We'll see, Trunks. We'll see. Your next mission will serve as a demonstration --- afterwards, you will find out for yourself that I'm right and you're wrong."


	16. The Effects of Boredom

Author's Note: Thank you so much everyone! I'm so glad to hear that you actually like what I'm working on. =P I would also like to thank you for giving me the inspiration to work on this particular fic, for lack of inspiration is worse than the dreaded writer's block. Anyway, here's the new chapter... I hope you like this one, too!

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Fifteen: The Effects of Boredom

_"No... p-please... leave me alone..."_

A snotty remark, rising to a cycle of maniacal laughter. 

_"No... p-please... I'm begging you... p-please, let me go..."_

An inhuman cackle, fading into a snicker.

Then, a swishing noise.

The girl dropped dead.

The Sabrean starfighter _Daisy_ started up with a loud shudder, and at the pilot's seat, Pan cursed under her breath. She didn't actually mind that her father left her behind, but she was left behind with an unreliable craft, and that was what she loathed. "So much for returning home safely," she said as the ship went into another cycle of groans and roars.

Sighing, she turned the engines off and decided to fix up whatever was wrong. She took the toolbox that was tucked under the co-pilot's chair, headed out cockpit and towards the hatch---

---and stopped upon reaching the landing ramp.

Her eyes rested on a lean figure a few meters away from the craft belonging to a young man with light purple hair and sapphire blue orbs. "Boxer," she identified nonchalantly, then she put one hand on her hip, not moving from her spot. "What are you doing here?"

The demi-saiyajin did not answer her question. His gaze flew towards the starfighter's hull, where its name was engraved Sabrean-style, and grinned. "Are you sure you're taking this pack of junk to space? _Daisy_..." He then chuckled. "Ran out of ideas when you named this thing?"

"Can you think of something better?" she challenged with narrowed raven eyes.

He only grinned his loopsided grin. "How about... _Sunflower_?"

Silence filled the gap between them, but it didn't take long for them to fall into a fit of laughter. Boxer had just demonstrated that he had a sense of humor after all, and to the princess of Sabrea, it was something to celebrate. The moment of happiness they shared did not last long, however, because a sad expression crossed the young man's features shortly after --- an expression that he did not manage to conceal, and an expression that she did not miss.

"Why the long face?" she asked, putting the toolbox she was carrying away and rushing down the ramp to be by his side. The uncaring facade she put up earlier disappeared as she stared into her friend's troubled eyes.

The demi-saiyajin felt his cheeks burn as the young woman moved closer to him. He had never been comfortable around women, unlike his brother Trunks who could easily fit himself in a cluster of scantily-clad courtesans. "Uh..." Boxer opened his mouth to speak, but the words seemed to have flown out of his head, leaving him blank.

A sigh escaped the other's lips. "Is it because I'm leaving?" she asked, not going around in circles like a normal girl would. After all, her mother taught her that going straight to a point in a conversation keeps it in good shape.

He nodded. "I don't want you to go."

"But I'll be back."

"Still," he protested. "Pan, there are so few days in our lives. And the time that I have with you know is so precious to me. Well... I just thought that I must not let anything pass by. You see, one waits so long for what is good, but it doesn't last as long as one wants it to be once it comes. Thus, one cannot risk to lose... and I..." He took a deep breath. "So I must speak and act quickly, even if it seems to be almost foolish to be so quick."

She was tired. Tired of all the talk. Tired of listening to him drone on and on about an idea that doesn't seem to be getting anywhere. She wanted him to get to the point, or stop. But as he continued to talk about what he felt at that moment, as he continued to beat around the bush, she wanted him to shut up.

And so, she made him. With her own lips.

"Are we complete yet?" Keeney asked as she arrived at the practice area, bringing her ballet shoes with her. She had volunteered to spearhead the recital of the Theatre Arts school Capsule Corporation sponsored, to keep herself from breaking down at the devastating turn of events.

"No, Keeney-san," one of the girls replied, looking up from what she was reading. "Marron isn't here yet."

She bit her lip upon hearing that. Marron, Krillin and Juuhachis' daughter, was Bra's best friend, and they marched into the said school together, determined to become superstars. "If we can't be princesses, then we'll just be superstars," Bra once exclaimed gleefully, and at that time Keeney could not stop laughing, for her little sister did not know what her heritage had in store for her.

Thinking of them made Keeney's heart ache terribly. The blonde young woman was most probably still crying her eyes out at Bra's death, as she was not as strong as the demi-saiyajin was. "It's all right," she told the dancers, before she bent down and put on her shoes. "Let's just start with the rehearsal. She knows the dance anyway, and I'm sure she'll be able to catch up if changes will be made. All right, girls, to your places."

Music began to play, and before they could even get to their positions, a pale, terror-stricken Bulma rushed in the practice area, looking for her daughter. The hair at the back of Keeney's neck began to stand at the sight, and immediately, she put off the music and ran to the older woman's side. "Mom?"

It took a long while for Bulma to reply, but she finally managed to choke out the news. "It's Marron. She... she's _dead_."

The soft music that was believed to be able to lull anyone to sleep with its too-soothing tune was failing its purpose with Juuhachi, who continued to toss and turn as the image of her dead daughter plagued her in her dreams. There was nothing she could do about the visions; they kept coming no matter how hard she shut her eyes, or how hard she forced them away. Knowing that, she got up and walked towards the kitchen of the now-quiet Kame House. She paused to look out the window, but the bright sunshine and the cheery landscape decorated with brightly-colored flowers which were just blooming provided her no joy.

_Why?! Why of all people did she have to die?!_

Juuhachi shook her head as she attempted to hold back her tears. Crying would do her no good. Crying would not bring Marron back. Crying would not soothe her. Crying would not wash away the pain. Crying was of no use. She had grown soft through the years, yes, as she was no longer the cold, heartless android everyone believed her to be at first, but she knew for a fact that crying will never do anything wondrous for her, no matter what the circumstances were.

After refreshing herself with a glass of water, she trudged back to her bedroom with a heavy heart, when she heard a loud knock on the door. Quickly, she proceeded to her room to put off the media player, but she did not notice that she accidentally keyed in the _record_ command in the process. When the music was replaced by silence --- and the recording process took over --- she wiped away her tears, took a second to look at herself on the mirror, and rushed to the living room to welcome her guest.

"It's nice to see that someone's actually here." It was Trunks, and even though she did not welcome him warmly as she should have, considering the fact that his younger sister was her daughter's best friend, he gave her a reassuring smile before he took out the bouquet he was holding and handed it to her. "Here. I hope this will make you feel better."

"Thank you," she said wryly as she led her visitor inside, before she put the flowers on the large vase by the large wall mirror. Without looking up from her position, she asked, "So, what did you come here for?"

"I came here to apologize."

Juuhachi stopped at that. She turned around to meet the young man's gaze and inquired, "Apologize? For what?"

Silence dominated for the next few moments as the two looked into each other's eyes intently. However, Trunks broke the contact as his lips parted into a smirk that made the bell at the back of the android's mind ring in warning. With the same expression, the demi-saiyajin replied, "For murdering your daughter."

She raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Trunks."

But Trunks' eyes continued to look into hers with the same expression on his pale features, and the truth dawned on her soon after. He was telling the truth. He murdered her daughter. Rage immediately filled Juuhachi, and she bolted up to let her anger out, but faster than she could blink, he grabbed her hand and smirked. "Now, now, Juuhachi-san. It's futile to fight me. You'll only get yourself hurt."

"You'll pay for this," the android spat, glaring daggers at him as she jerked away.

"I'd like to see you try."

With that, she sprinted towards him, sending every punch and kick she could muster towards his direction. However, Trunks dodged every one of them with ease, and with a slight flex of his arm, he sent Juuhachi crashing towards the dining room. Determined to succeed in her revenge, she got up despite of all the pain that shot through her body and attacked him once more. She was powerful, but just not powerful enough --- and she knew that her chances of defeating the demi-saiyajin, who was now backed up by the dark side, was slim. 

However, her persistence finally got her a punch through Trunks' defenses and knocked him off his feet. "Impressive," he blurted out as he stood up to resume his battle, wiping off the blood that oozed from the corner of his mouth. "You're pretty strong for a woman. But your strength is not enough to defeat me... so as much kill me."

"Why?! Why did you kill Marron?! What has she done to you?!"

His expression transformed into that of mock sympathy. "I'm really sorry, Juuhachi-san... but I was _bored_." He paused for a while, then his voice turned icy. "Well. Enough of this talk, and let's continue. After all, I still have to send you to the Afterlife."

"Trust me, Trunks. I'm not going alone. You're coming with me," she replied coolly as she put herself back together, and that was when she pointed two fingers towards Trunks' direction. Soon, a tiny yet bright ball of light appeared on her fingertips and it began increasing in size and intensity.

The demi-saiyajin chuckled as he held out his palm towards her direction. "Two can play the same game, yes. But I'm assuring you that _you_ will fall, not me. And I'm going to prove to my master that I am very much capable of doing things on my own."

With that, he charged up his own energy beam, when both his hands were forced behind his back. Trunks cursed as soon as that happened, and when he cocked his head to look at who did so, he saw a pair of eyes that were burning with anger and hatred. "I don't know what your problem is, but it's too late for you, Trunks. You can't get away. I won't let you get away. The tables have turned. Now, you will die."

It was Krillin.

"But so will you," Trunks countered as he glanced at Juuhachi who was too occupied in charging up her killer attack to notice that her husband was actually holding back their nemesis. He struggled to break free from Krillin's grasp, but his efforts were all in vain. There was something surging through the human that was making him stronger than ever before... perhaps it was the determination to put an end to the evil that was now in his hands? 

"I'm not afraid to die. I've faced death more than enough that I don't fear it anymore," the older man shot back, and that was enough to confirm all of Trunks' speculations. Then, Krillin averted his gaze to Juuhachi and exclaimed, "Juu-chan! Do it, now!"

She opened her eyes, and her expression flushed with emotions that could not clearly be sorted out when she saw that Krillin was holding Trunks in place --- and that he was going to die if she would let go of the beam. "Krillin! Let go of him! If you won't, you're going to die!"

"I'm not afraid to die," Krillin repeated. "And I will do what must be done. Now do it!"

_I love you, Juu-chan. For Marron's sake... do it, now._

Tears streaked down from Juuhachi's eyes as she looked into her husband's ones that were full of love and compassion, and then, she wailed, "I'm sorry, Krillin! But I have to do this! I... I love you! With all of my heart, I do!" Not wanting to see what was going to happen next, not wanting to see her beloved lose his life at her hands, she squeezed her eyes shut after making sure that her aim was right on target, and then, she yelled, "RYUUKIBAHA!"

The beam was right on target; it hit both Trunks and Krillin straight in the chest. As the two warriors stumbled to the floor at the lethal injury they acquired, hot tears cascaded from Juuhachi's eyes that still remained shut. She did it --- but lost Krillin in return.

_Don't worry, Juuhachi-san. You will be joining him in the Afterlife shortly._

Juuhachi's eyes bolted wide open as she recognized the voice, but what greeted her was a bright flash of light that came from across her. It was too late when she realized what actually happened, because the moment she managed to do so, the deflected beam passed right through her heart.

Before she was pulled completely into the void, the broken pieces of glass from the wall mirror which deflected her energy beam reminded her that what goes around, comes around.


	17. Lies, Deception, Treachery

Author's Note: I'm back with another chapter, and thank you to all who reviewed. It's good to have sources of inspiration. =P Anyway, I know that Son/Briefs romances are cliches, but I have to go with what happens to the sequel of this one. Besides, I haven't seen enough of DBGT to know how to manage other pairings like Pan/Uub and Goten/Marron, although I don't have anything against those at all. Thanks again, and now I'll get back to the story...

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Sixteen: Lies, Deception, Treachery

The alarms in the mental institution Goten had been kept in for around a week already went off all at the same time, and all security systems were immediately activated to prevent anyone from leaving the base. Such chaos only meant one thing: someone escaped. And there was only one person who had the ability to be able to escape such a highly-guarded facility.

Goten Son.

He didn't want to cause a stir at his escape so he planned everything out carefully. However, when he felt Juuhachi's power level fluctuate nervously --- and Krillin's soon after --- he immediately knew that they were in trouble, and he decided to escape even if it would mean causing a stir, or getting in trouble with the police.

He knew it was his chance. It was his chance to see who was behind all the murders, and it was his chance to prove to the world that he was innocent, his chance to prove to all those who thought that he was insane that he was truly _not_.

He ran. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him, he ran with adrenaline surging through him. He had to get there on time. He wanted to see for himself who framed him up, who sold him to the enemy. He wanted to make sure that Trunks was innocent as well, just as he was. True, he saw his best friend _attempt_ to kill his daughter, but he told himself that he probably was just hallucinating --- or it was just a simple misconception, a misinterpretation. After all, nobody's perfect.

"Hang on... I'll be there soon."

Goten continued to run, desperate to aid his friends who were fighting their nemesis whose power level remained masked by darkness. However, he stopped on his tracks, unable to move, unable to as time apparently froze for a second. And when time resumed, the presence that was once Krillin's --- was a void. He continued to run, until he came upon the all-too-familiar Kame House --- and he was sure that this time, he would see another friend bathing in his own blood.

But he was also sure that this time, he would not get knocked out and then framed up, but instead, he would turn things around and find out who had been behind all the murders in the past days. 

When he finally made it, what he saw was a mess. He cringed at the sight of the severity of the situation --- the more when he saw the lifeless bodies of Krillin and Juuhachi. 

Then, out of the silence, he heard a soft beep, followed by_ Recording completed_.

Upon hearing that, Goten stood up and rushed towards the bedroom, where he knew the media player was located. He examined it, and when saw that it actually had a disc inside, he concluded that Juuhachi or Krillin was recording something before the villain came and they forgot to turn off the player. Excited by his discovery --- and determined to find out what exactly happened --- Goten immediately keyed in the _play_ command.

"He'll live."

Celeste breathed a sigh of relief as she slowly caressed Trunks' pale face, not taking her eyes of his now reposed features. "That's good to hear," she whispered, and then added, "Rest well, my love."

"You should talk some sense into him. His plans are downright stupid. He gets himself into trouble by his recklessness. If he wants to survive, then he should know that a good plan is the foundation for a good victory."

"Tell that to his ego," she replied in a tone that had an edge, much to her companion's surprise.

"You seem touchy."

She stood up to meet the other's gaze with angry eyes. "Touchy?! What do you except?! He almost _died_, damnit! And it's all your fault! You and your _stupid_ quest to annihilate those saiyajins in revenge for your brothers' deaths!"

"But he did it willingly."

"Because you pushed him and deceived him," Celeste spat.

Thanatos' eyes narrowed. Celeste's purpose was to be the bait, to lure Trunks into his web so he would be able to use the saiyajins for his plans... but she fell for him. She learned to love him, she formed an attachment with him. And now, that bond was getting in the way.

It was time to cut off the link.

_You have served me well, Celeste. But I'm afraid I'll have to get rid of you very soon. So you better start spending more time with your beloved and enjoy your last few moments. Because when that span of time I'll be giving you is over, you will feel very sorry for even knowing him._

Vegeta looked at Goten with an expression of disbelief. "Are you telling me that the killer is Trunks, _my_ brat and _your_ best friend?

"If you'll listen to this, you'll know that I'm telling the truth. I'm not, in any way, trying to put Trunks down. I just want you to know the truth," Goten blurted out in a frustrated tone as he slammed the disc into the table and walked off towards the large window in the main office of Capsule Corporation to look at the sights and somehow cool off.

A few moments of silence passed for a while before Vegeta took the disc and put it in the media player to listen to the _captured_ incident. Nobody said anything, until they heard the words:

_"I came here to apologize."_

_"Apologize? For what?"_

_"For murdering your daughter."_

_"Seriously, Trunks."_

Bulma gasped. "He can't be---"

Her husband held out his hand, warning her to stop and listen to what would come next. But nothing came, only silence. And when they thought that the silence would never end, they heard Trunks say in an icy voice thick with sarcasm, _"Now, now, Juuhachi-san. It's futile to fight me. You'll only get yourself hurt."_

"No, this can't be..." Keeney mumbled in disbelief. "Oniichan... a killer? A murderer? No... this can't be real... not at all..."

She paused as they heard the sound of breaking glass and china from the speakers, followed by groans that belonged to Juuhachi. After another round of crashes and breaking objects, and a loud _thump_, they heard Trunks moan --- and they realized that the android must have dished enough damage on her opponent at the moment. 

_"Impressive! You're pretty strong for a woman. But your strength is not enough to defeat me... so as much kill me."_

_"Why?! Why did you kill Marron?! What has she done to you?!"_

_"I'm really sorry, Juuhachi-san... but I was _bored._"_

Keeney's jaw dropped open in disbelief, hatred joining the mixture of emotions on her face shortly after. "Bored?! He killed Marron because he was _bored_?!" she half-screamed, her aura fluctuating dangerously and her fists clamped on her sides. "I don't believe him!"

The expression on the Saiyajin no Ouji's features was difficult to sort out, but anger was evident in the way his eyes sparkled. "I believe that there's only one _demon_ behind all this... and he's most probably who the brat calls _master_. He better start praying... because when I get my hands on him I will personally tear him into pieces for corrupting my son!"

"_Thanatos_?" Goten asked as he spun around to face the rest, finally putting all the puzzle pieces together.

"Definitely."

Ever since that day the Z-Senshi found out what was going on, and who they were up against, Goten never let his wife out of his sight. He was with her all the time, and he never let his guard down. He was determined to protect her at all costs, and that was what was doing.

However, Celeste was greatly annoyed by his sudden protectiveness. She never had the time to meet up with her beloved because Goten was always by her side; if not, he was always close by. It made her upset greatly because she had been unable to visit Trunks, who was still recovering from the injury he acquired during his battle with Juuhachi and Krillin. She knew that she had to be there, to take care of him and to make him feel better, but with Goten on her tail it was next to impossible.

One day, however, she was unable to stop herself that she added sleeping powder to her husband's drink just to make him doze off and give her the opportunity even just to talk to the man she truly loved. The moment Goten's eyelids slid close Celeste snuck out of their room and quickly dialed Trunks' number.

"Celeste?" Trunks asked weakly, although she could tell that he was happy to hear from her. "How are you? Is it true what Master told me? That the Z-Senshi have---"

"It's true," she replied with sadness in her tone. "I don't know how it happened, but he managed to escape from the mental ward. He then rushed to Capsule Corporation with a disc that contained your conversation with Juuhachi and Krillin before they died. And he used the same disc to free himself from all the charges and the accusations... and now the police are after you."

"I don't care. I can take care of myself, don't worry. But I'm worried about you. Aren't you due yet?"

Celeste froze for a while, her features depicting panic, but she regained her composure shortly after and she answered, "Silly! I'm still not due for another week or so!"

Apparently, he was confused. "Huh? I thought that---"

"No, you didn't. It happened around a week or two after. Don't worry about me, I'm fine."

There was a pause before Trunks continued. "I'll drop by hospital when it's time. I don't know how I'll keep Goten away, but I think I can convince Master to lend us a hand. After all, I've done him a lot already --- he should at least learn to appreciate other people's efforts. Most especially that of his apprentice."

"See you soon, then," she whispered as she heard footsteps. "He's up. I love you."

Celeste did not even bother to listen to what the other had to say, for she shut off the communicator immediately as she felt Goten approach closer to her position, afraid to be caught red-handed. The moment he appeared in the scene, she put on the sweetest smile she could muster and quickly opened up a topic to prevent the demi-saiyajin from asking her questions.

Indeed, she was very much capable of keeping her relationship with Trunks a secret.

_Look at him closely. Very closely. Look into his eyes, and tell me what you see._

Trunks obeyed his master's words. Slowly so as not to surprise the infant, he moved closer towards the baby, and a feeling of warmth filled him as he admired the demi-saiyajin that was sleeping peacefully. He smiled as he moved his hand to caress the infant's face, when the baby opened his eyes and looked up to him, apparently recognizing who the older man was. Joy overcame him once the infant did so, but then his eyes narrowed significantly as they locked gazes with the little boy. But those eyes, those soft, raven orbs... they could only belong to...

"_Goten_," Trunks hissed in realization.

He felt his power level rise in rage, but he did his best to lock them up back inside of him. After all, he did not want his presence to be known by the Z-Senshi, for it would only bring him trouble. As fast as he could, he walked away from the nursery, eager to get back to his hideout and release his anger in some way.

_I was right all along, Celeste. You cheated on me._

He stopped, and as he did so, a cruel smile spread on his pale features. What was there to lose? Yes, he loved Celeste, but that love had disappeared into thin air at the discovery that she cheated on him. Now, she was nothing more than Goten's wife --- and a Son, for that matter. Killing her would not only provide joy to his master, but it will also cause more pain for the person he despised the most. And the fact that it was the perfect manner of revenge in Trunks' part was very self-satisfying.

It was just _perfect_.


	18. Cornered and Outnumbered

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Seventeen: Cornered and Outnumbered

"No... stay away from me!" Celeste shrieked as she scrambled out of her bed and towards the doorway, but a hand grabbed her and pushed her back to the bed. "Trunks, what on Earth are you---"

"Tell me the truth, Celeste. What did you do with our child?!"

She met his gaze as powerfully as she could, but she was overpowered. Left with no choice, she decided that it was best to stall, for Goten would arrive very soon and save her life. "Our child? What are you talking about?!"

"Don't lie to me! You were pregnant with _our_ child, and now I find out that the infant in the nursery is not _our_ child, but your child with _Goten_. What did you do to him?! Tell me!" he demanded in a deadly tone as he took her by her dress and glared daggers at her.

"If you want to know, then I'll tell you!" Celeste snapped back as tears swelled in her eyes. "When I came here to Earth, I was already allied with Thanatos, as I was his personal aide. The entire wedding deal? It was a show! It was my mission to seduce you and make you fall for me, so that I can lure you to the dark side soon after and offer you to my master. Yes, you got me pregnant, but I promised Thanatos that I would give him Goten Son's child, so I had to abort _our_ baby so I would be able to do so! But something went wrong! And you know what that something is? I FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU!" she exclaimed in frustration.

Trunks fumed even more. "So you only _used_ me!"

"No! I mean... yes," she admitted sadly. "That was what I was supposed to do. Use you. Use you to achieve the end my master and I are trying to achieve. But I fell for you. I got attached to you. We formed a bond of love that burned with so much passion. But that was not supposed to happen. I was not supposed to fall in love with you..."

"And what do you suggest we do about it?"

She looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Forgive and forget," she replied.

He stared at her as if she was insane. "Forgive and forget?! What kind of joke is that?! It's too late for that now, Celeste. I no longer have the heart. In fact, I no longer have a heart! I'm no longer the loving Trunks you once knew --- no longer caring and understanding despite of my arrogance. I'm now a monster. There's nothing else I want to do but kill. I'm now a bloodthirsty, power-hungry monster. Just like my master. After all, I'm his apprentice. It fits perfectly."

"Give me a second chance, Trunks!"

"It's too late for that," he replied in a voice that sent shivers to the other's spine. He held out his palm in front of her chest and charged up an energy beam, an energy beam to put an end to another sorrowful soul, when a powerful blow knocked him off his feet, and made him release Celeste in the process.

"Enough of that, Trunks. You touch her one more time and I won't hesitate to dislocate your shoulder," Goten threatened as he stepped in the room, backed up by Vegeta and Keeney. "Both shoulders, if I have to."

The dark saiyajin rose up and smirked at the newcomer. "So, my archenemy is finally here. But I'm afraid it's not yet time for our final showdown. Not until I take out every single member of your damn clan in revenge for humiliating and defeating us!" he exclaimed as he rushed to attack his former best friend, but at that very moment, Vegeta pushed Goten away and sent his fist flying towards his son's face. The impact of the punch slammed Trunks against the wall and dazed him for a few moments.

Goten, on the other hand, helped his wife up, but after he did so, she started crying. "What's wrong?" he asked as he took her into his arms. "Hush now, Celeste... Don't cry..."

However, she pushed him away. "I don't deserve all this love, all this care, all this concern you're giving me! Perhaps our child deserves it, as he is but an innocent soul, but not me! Not someone like me!"

"Celeste, what are you talking about?!" her husband asked, utterly confused.

"I'm sorry... Goten..." she began as more tears fell from her sad eyes. "I'm sorry for everything that I've done. I... I _used_ you. I used you to help my master reach his goals with regards to universal domination, just as I used Trunks. I was already a servant of Thanatos when I came here to Earth. Nobody knew about it, because it was our grand scheme. When you fell in love with me, I was overjoyed for luck was on our side. I then did not hesitate to marry you, because I would then be able to fulfill my promise to Thanatos --- that I would deliver to him the son of Goten Son."

She paused to look at the people present in the eye. Part of her wanted to stop, but the stronger part of her wanted to let the truth out. Now or never, that was the case. "However, we had problems... and that was when I was ordered to kill you mother. Soon after, Thanatos told me to seduce Trunks and then bring him to our side, and from there, we twisted his mind and turned him against you. All of you."

And then, she stared into Goten's eyes, which flashed with emotions that she could not comprehend nor control. "See how evil I am?! I killed your mother! I fed her with DNA-destroying Hakaijin viruses until her genetic components disintegrated! Then, I lured your best friend and turned him into a monster --- he said it himself! And for the final blow, I betrayed you! I had an affair with your best friend! I got pregnant with him, but I was forced to abort the child so that I would be able to have a child with you!" she exclaimed in a very anguished tone. "If there's anyone who's supposed to die, it's _me_!"

"No!" Goten snapped. "That's not true, Celeste! I don't believe you! You're lying!"

She averted her eyes to empty space. "It's a devil behind this angelic face, I'm afraid. And there's nothing I can do to change the fact that I made your life a living hell. No matter how many _I'm sorry's_ I'm going to say, that cannot change the fact that you suffered so much because of me."

Her husband took her into his arms once more. "Believe me, I can turn a devil into an angel if it is what must be done. We'll just have to stop Thanatos and then we can resume living our normal lives. You know, forgive and forget."

"Thank you, Goten. For your kindness. For your sympathy. For your concern. For understanding me. For taking care of me. For loving me. But I don't think that we can simply forgive and forget. It's just... not possible."

"It is, Celeste. It is," Goten countered as he bent over to kiss her, but before he could do so, she pushed him away with as much force as she could muster. In fact, the force was so strong that Vegeta, who stood behind the demi-saiyajin, was knocked down to the floor as well. She then looked at her beloved, Trunks, for the last time, but he only sent her a glare of hate and anger in return. She turned away, devastated at the outcome, but realized that it was time for her to pay the price. 

Hoping against hope that she would be forgiven for all the evil that she had done, she ran towards the hospital window, crashed through the glass and jumped down from the 127th floor of the hospital to put an end to her life.

"CELESTE! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Goten screamed as he attempted to run after her, but the Saiyajin no Ouji pulled him back before he could do anything stupid. "LET ME GO! I HAVE TO SAVE HER, LET ME GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"It's too late, brat. It's too late."

Goten stopped, apparently weakened in spirit at what just happened. Tears began to spill out of his eyes as he thought that he had lost another person he loved dearly. Was it wrong to love? Was it a sin to love?

_Then why do I have to lose the people I love?!_

Tears also fell from Keeney's downcast eyes, and with those tears came pain. Her heart ached terribly, because of the fact that despite all the bad things Celeste did, Goten still loved her. He was ready to forgive her, to forget all that she had done, and to start living anew. Celeste was the only one Goten loved; he will never love anyone else but her.

However, when they all stopped to check on Trunks, he was gone. Panic filled them the moment after their terrifying discovery, for they were unsure of where the hero-turned-villain was. Goten, however, had the answer. He knew the identity of Trunks' next target. With eyes blazing in anger, he growled, "My child... who else?!"

With that, he stormed off towards the nursery, followed by Keeney who was wiping her tears away. "We can't let him do that!" she exclaimed. "He's my brother, yes, but we have to stop him! For heaven's sake! I won't allow him to murder a _child_!"

"I swear, if he touches my son --- best friend or no best friend, he's going to die!"

However, Goten's son was missing. No matter where the two looked, they could not find a trace of him. Anger swept to his face the moment he realized that Trunks must have taken the infant somewhere and hid him --- or to make matters worse, he must have killed the child by now. Before Goten could mutter a curse or two, however, Trunks appeared by the window of the nursery, holding the former's child upside-down by the heel. With a smirk, he mouthed, _If you want him back, then come and get him._

Keeney laid a hand on her friend's shoulder to stop him from doing anything drastic, but her subtle movement was no match to the rage that filled Goten at the unexpected turn of the situation. Eyes blazing, he rushed to the window, pushed it open, and flew out in pursuit of his son's captor.

"Well, well. Daddy's finally here. But it's too late now, isn't it?" Trunks muttered as he waved the infant around, with threatening sapphire eyes that seemed to relay the message that he would not hesitate to drop the child if Goten would make a drastic move.

Not wanting to put his son in more trouble, the other begged, "Trunks, please. Let him go. It's me you want. Just leave him alone, please!"

"Stay where you are," Trunks ordered as his ex-best friend slowly flew towards him. "And don't move if you want your son to live. The same goes for you three."

The younger of the two demi-saiyajins turned to look for the _three_ Trunks referred to, and that was when he noticed the arrival of Vegeta and the youngest of the Briefs-Vegeta brothers, Boxer. "What are you doing here?" he asked the other two who just arrived.

"I had to get us some reinforcements," Vegeta replied as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, his usual mannerism. "After all, we'll need all the help we can get when his master will show up," he finished as he tilted his head slightly towards his son's direction.

Trunks' gaze flickered between his father and his siblings, and then, he hissed, "Don't make me hurt you."

"Let the child go," Boxer ordered, his tone now cold and angry, which surprised everyone present. He had always been soft-spoken and laid-back; he never showed anger or resentment towards anyone, no matter how tough the situation was, except perhaps, to the princess of Sabrea, Pan Son. But now, it was different. He was a different person now, although why that was so, they knew not.

The saiyajin-turned-evil met his brother's eyes with the same intensity of coldness, and after sparing a glance at the others, he seemed to slump his shoulders back in defeat. "Very well, then. I'll let the child go," he said in a calm tone, but to everyone's surprise, he let go of the child's heel and the infant was dropping towards the ground at a dangerous speed.

Adrenaline rushing through him, Goten attempted to sprint after his son and take the child in his arms. However, he found himself unable to do so, for something seemed to hold him in place. The other three saiyajins tried their luck, but to no avail. They could only watch in horror and pray for a miracle, but before the infant hit the ground, a pair of arms caught the little boy.

Goku looked up at them with a smile on his face.

"For once you actually served your purpose," Vegeta spat, although the younger of the two purebloods could tell that the former was grateful. Then, the Saiyajin no Ouji discovered that he was able to move once again. "Well! Looks like your game's up, brat," he blurted out as he flexed his arms, apparently getting ready for battle.

Trunks narrowed his eyes, attempting to freeze his opponents so he would be able to get away without trouble, but he found himself incapable of doing so. His eyes narrowed significantly as he saw his sister smile from a distance, and then, he knew what truly happened. She did a counter-attack. 

"Pan taught me some useful tricks, Oniichan. I'm sorry I had to use them on you."

He panicked at that development, and the more when the other saiyajins closed in on him. He backed off slightly, but they closed on him on all sides that he knew that he was in so much trouble.

"Give up, Trunks!" Goku exclaimed as he took up a fighting stance, his grandson he held firmly with one arm. "Give up so we won't have to hurt you!"

The other looked around, trying to find a way out, but he was outnumbered. Keeney was ready to do whatever she would have to do if her brother would come up with any of his tricks; Vegeta and Boxer were both prepared if a battle to the death would have to be fought; while Goten was already at the verge of killing his former best friend in cold blood.

"Once again, your habit of rushing into things got you trapped in the web of trouble. Do me a favor, will you? Next time, work with a plan," a voice said as a sudden gust of wind threw the saiyajins away from their target, and then a dark figure --- tall and strikingly handsome, yet with eyes that blazed like the flames of hell --- materialized beside the outnumbered demi-saiyajin.

Trunks only snorted.

"How rude. But I've adjusted to that rather _unrefined_ attitude of yours," Thanatos muttered before he transferred his gaze to the other saiyajins. "Looks like everything's all set for the party. Send in the clowns."

"You're not getting away this time! You've caused enough damage already! If you're leaving, then you're leaving for the Underworld!" Goten exclaimed as his anger began to rise in an alarming rate.

The dark lord smirked. "I hope your threats are as good as they sound. Last time we fought, you nearly got yourself killed, when you were supposed to put an end to me. You were lucky I gave you a second chance, a chance to fulfill your purpose in life."

"My purpose in life is to exterminate you."

"Do you really think so?" the other taunted. "Do you really think that you actually have a purpose? Who do you think you're kidding? You're nothing but a piece of garbage. Nobody needs you, because all you ever brought about was trouble. If you truly were of importance, then why did your best friend choose to be your enemy than be your ally? I recommend that you do a self-evaluation, Goten. Who are your friends? Do you even have friends?"

Goku shot the Hakaijin warlord a warning look before he turned to Goten and exclaimed, "Don't listen to him, son!"

At that, Thanatos burst into maniacal laughter. "Do you think he'll listen to you? When had he ever listened to you? You're no one special in his life, Goku. That's why you're not in our so-called death list."

"I don't care if he won't listen to me. I just hope he won't listen to you either."

Author's Note: Here is another update, and I would like to thank everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. You've been very inspiring to me. Anyway, I'm doing my best to get this done, because I still have so many fics to finish. My fault for starting so many until they pile up on me. *sweatdrops* Again, thank you, and I hope that chapter was good enough for you. =P


	19. Behind It All

Author's Note: Warning --- Extremely OOC Vegeta! I'm really bad at characterizing him, especially when I try to pull off father-son moments. *sighs* Please forgive me for being so untalented! Anyway... I'm ashamed to get this chapter out for my bad characterization of the Saiyajin no Ouji, but I guess I have to do so to get this done. Please don't hurt me!

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Eighteen: Behind It All

"Stop your attempt in putting me down, Thanatos. Because it's not working. I have a purpose in life, just like everyone else. I don't understand why Trunks chose to be my enemy, but I will find out soon enough. Just to let you know, I have friends. The people I love are my friends, and they won't let me down." At that, he turned to Trunks, his former best friend, the young man he trusted with his life. "I trusted you, Trunks. I trusted you, because you're my best friend. But you destroyed that trust. Why?! What have I done?! What have I done to deserve this?! Why do you hate me so?!"

"Because you destroyed me," Trunks countered in a very harsh tone, ignoring the squabble between his master and the rest of the saiyajins. "You destroyed my identity, and took away everything I ever had. And in return, I'm going to take away everything that's important to you. And in the end, I will destroy you. Not by killing you, but by destroying you in the same way as you destroyed me."

Goten dropped into a fighting stance, the flame of anger in his eyes back. "Bring it on, then. Don't be a coward and fight!"

_Destroy him now, my apprentice. This is your final mission --- and then, you will be free._

At those words, Trunks nodded. "As you wish," he answered, referring to both his master and his opponent. "But I won't go easy on you. After all, I'm not fighting my best friend anymore. This isn't just a sparring session. This is now the real thing."

The others inched towards Goten to help him out, but he gave them a stern warning look. "Please, don't interfere. This is our battle, our score. It's a personal matter, and there are some things we have to iron out."

"Just... be careful," Keeney said as she backed off, pulling her little brother with her. "And don't get yourself killed."

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," he replied as he looked into Keeney's eyes to assure her that everything would be all right. After he did so, he turned back to his opponent and nodded, indicating that he was ready.

And in a blink of an eye, a force sent Goten flying away from the dark saiyajin and towards the ground, his body slamming against a wall of hard rocks. The force of the impact paralyzed him for a couple of seconds, but that was when a different kind of determination surged through him. He pushed himself up, and charged for Trunks. However, his attempt was futile, for the latter hurled a ki-beam at him before he even got the chance to fly high enough to reach his target.

Trunks was enjoying the child play he was having. Goten was strong, yes, but now, he was stronger. The power the dark side gave him was sufficient to dish enough damage for the other -- and he was not even exerting much effort yet. "So, is this how you're going to defeat me?! What utter nonsense!" he exclaimed as he flexed his hand to wrap a band of dark energy around his opponent's leg, and then, he yanked the still-stunned Goten towards him.

The younger of the two demi-saiyajins lost his balance with the sudden pull, and he fell to the ground. However, the other continued to pull him across the rocky field --- the stones scratched his skin, the sand stung his eyes. Finally, he managed to grab a boulder and hold on to it, and that stopped him from completely being dragged towards his nemesis.

But only for a moment.

Another strong force made Goten lose his grip on his anchor, and it sent him flying towards Trunks. However, the latter quickly teleported out of the way, and Goten was once again slammed into a mountain of rocks.

The other reappeared in front of the younger saiyajin, and the moment their eyes met, he smirked. "Let's make things a little more interesting, shall we?" he asked as he looked at his pain-stained features. "So that you can at least put up a little challenge."

He disappeared.

Goten panicked. Not only did Trunks disappear, he completely dropped his power level to zero so as not to be sensed.

The raven-eyed warrior looked around uneasily, desperate to sense his opponent before Trunks could dish an attack on him, but his efforts were all in vain. He then tightened his defense, not wanting to be knocked out so soon --- not wanting to be knocked out cold, for that matter --- when the dark warrior appeared behind him and was at the verge of delivering a killer strike.

"OH NO YOU'RE NOT!" Boxer yelled as he dove towards his brother and tackled him away from his target. That move caused Goten to turn around, but before he could say anything to rebuke the teenager for interference, a powerful blow struck him from behind, knocking him unconscious.

"Forgive me, brat. But I'm afraid there's a score I have to settle with my son as well," Vegeta muttered as he caught Goten promptly, his eyes soft and somehow... _sad_. "And if you're lucky, I'll have everything ironed out at our confrontation and you won't have to suffer in knocking some sense into his clouded brain."

Seeing that the other saiyajins decided to get involved in the battle, Thanatos descended from his post and thought of taking part in the chaos. He teleported to where Goku was, attempting to grab Goten's son from the saiyajin's arms, but Goku managed to punch him square in the face and knock him a few steps back.

"Keeney!" Goku called out as he rushed towards the female warrior, and then he handed the infant to her. "Go. It's time. I'll hold Thanatos back so he can't go after you, but please, do it!"

She nodded in understanding, and after sparing a glance at her father and brother --- as well as the older one she had lost --- she took off. As soon as she did so, however, Thanatos began hurling energy daggers at her, yet she dodged those to the best of her capability, determined to protect the son of the one man she loved and secure him a future.

The leader of the Z-Senshi, Goku, appeared from behind Thanatos and yelled, "TAIYOUKEN!" in his attempt to avert the dark lord's attention from Keeney and the infant to him by distracting their opponent with one of his flashy moves.

On the other hand, Vegeta dashed after his son who flew off all of a sudden, as Boxer took Goten away to a safer place at his father's orders. At that development, only Vegeta and Goku --- the strongest of the Z-Senshi --- were left in the battlefield, battling their way through all the difficulties the dark side prepared for them.

As whether they stood a chance against the warriors of darkness or not, that was yet to be discovered.

Trunks did not understand the sudden turn of events, but he knew that he had to lure his father away, his father who was hot on his trail. No matter what he did, however --- no matter how many twists and turns he did --- the Saiyajin no Ouji was still behind him, determined to catch up with him.

"BRAT!" Vegeta yelled, "I WANT TO TALK TO YOU! STOP FOR A MOMENT!"

The younger saiyajin did not listen. He continued to fly away from the person who was after him, desperate to get away at all costs. After a while, Trunks turned to look behind him, but he was unable to spot Vegeta. In fact, he could not even sense his father, and that made him sigh in relief.

However, that was when someone appeared in front of him, and he was forced to skid to a halt. "Brat, we have to talk."

He knew that he had no way out, so he landed as his father did so, then he folded his arms in front of him in the same arrogant fashion as that of Vegeta. He replied, "There is nothing for us to talk about."

"No," the older countered. "We _have_ to talk, because I'm greatly disturbed. I don't care if you hate Goten. I don't care if he's not your best friend. I don't care if you hate him as much as I hate that third-class baka Kakkarot. As long as you don't kill. As long as you don't take away the lives of others. And that's what's disturbing me. I'm disturbed at what you've become. A murderer, working for a dark warlord who wants to take over the universe. Is that right? A Z-Senshi suddenly turned into a killer, and a slave to a tyrant?"

"I'm not interested in what else you have to say, or with your long speeches! This is my life, and I have all the right to do what I want! Just leave me alone!" the younger of the two exclaimed angrily.

His father took him by his fighting gi. "Listen. I won't leave you alone, because you're my son, and you are my responsibility. I care for you and I don't want you to suffer because of your mistakes!"

Trunks pushed him away. "I'm _your_ son?!" he asked, then he shook his head with disbelief planted on his features. "Oh no, I'm _not_ your son, and you _never_ cared for me the same way as you used to ever since Goten came along! Ever since that day you made him a part of our family, I was left behind like and treated insignificantly! I'm supposed to be _your_ son, but no, he's more important to you than I am!"

"Brat, you don't understand---"

"And now _I_ don't understand?!" Trunks half-screamed as he clenched his fists in anger, his blue eyes aflame. "Well, I'm always the wrong one anyway! If there's anyone who's right, if there's anyone who understands, if there's anyone who's important, it's Goten!"

"So that's why you allied with Thanatos? To destroy Goten?" the older saiyajin asked, and then, he softened. "Brat, open your eyes. Thanatos is only using you. He's using you to get what he wants. And he's slowly destroying you through the power of the dark side, which you acquired through him. There is still time to save yourself, son. There is still time to pull away from the darkness. Pull away while you still have time, while you still have the chance. Save the universe, save the world, and most importantly, save yourself --- and your soul."

The ice in Trunks' blue eyes melted as he continued to stare at the ground, and then, he began, "Dad, I'm sorry, but"

Vegeta looked at him worriedly.

"It's too late," he finished as he looked at his father with distressed eyes, and then, he flew off, eager to get away.

Vegeta followed his son with his gaze as unshed tears glistened in his eyes. Apparently, Trunks was disturbed and confused --- just as how he felt many years ago, when Goku's goodness was beginning to take its toll on him.

"You've got to give him time."

He whirled around and by reflex, he took up a fighting stance, although it was more on the defensive edge now. "I don't need your advice. I can handle things myself, thank you very much."

"Like father, like son. Indeed," Thanatos blurted out with amusement. "Sometime ago, Trunks said those very words, and those words got him in trouble. And I'm afraid that the same thing will happen to you now."

The saiyajin raised an eyebrow. "You think so?"

With a smirk, Thanatos dumped the person he was carrying between him and Vegeta, and the latter's eyes flew wide open in surprise. The strongest of the saiyajins, Goku Son, was unconscious, heavily injured, and apparently, _dying_. At that, Vegeta took a few steps back, the expression of disbelief still evident in his features, most especially in his eyes. He had always been strong, he had always been confident --- but the fact that Goku _lost_ struck him greatly.

Someone _finally_ defeated the saiyajin --- and it was _not_ good.

Boxer stopped abruptly as he went past Keeney's room, where he laid Goten so the latter can rest up and regain his strength. He heard Goten moan and groan repeatedly, and thinking that the older demi-saiyajin was having a nightmare, he opened the door of the room slowly and slid in.

And Goten was indeed having a nightmare. The blankets were a heap on the floor, the pillows were scattered all over the place, and he was tossing and turning violently. At that, Boxer reached out to wake his friend up and end his suffering --- his suffering of something that may or may not be real. The moment he touched the other's shoulder, however, he jumped back in surprise as Goten's power level exploded like a supernova. But he had no time to think, for Goten sent a fist flying to his direction.

Caught off guard, he stumbled to the floor, barely able to block Goten's next assault, which came a second right after the first one.

"Goten-niichan, snap out of it!" he exclaimed as he continued to dodge the other's attacks, confused on what to do next. He had the hunch that he would have to hit Goten to make the sleepwalking warrior wake up, but he hesitated, even just at the thought of it. He respected the other too much to hit him just like that.

But when he almost got his jaw dislodged at an upper cut Goten dished him, he knew that there was no other way, that he had no other choice. With a soft, "I'm sorry," Boxer kicked him --- hard --- on the gut.

Goten crashed towards the floor, but he pushed himself up soon after, apparently unhurt by the younger warrior's attack. Boxer backed off, afraid of what was going to happen next --- but when Goten looked at him with soft, calm eyes, he knew that everything was all right.

"I hope you slept well," Boxer blurted out, a nervous smile on his features.

The other groaned. "My abdomen hurts," he blurted out, when he saw his friend's smile, his eyes narrowed. "Did you just hit me?"

"Forgive me, but I had to," Boxer replied as he eyed the floor and shuffled his feet. "You were attacking me involuntarily --- and you nearly dislodged my jaw --- so I had no choice but to wake you up."

"Ouch, that must have hurt."

Vegeta's son rubbed his chin. "It still does."

"But where's everyone? What happened? I was fighting Trunks---"

Both of them froze as they felt two power signatures drop into very low levels. When that moment of silence passed, Goten turned to Boxer with an upset expression accented with anger, and then he demanded an explanation from the teenager. The younger of the two was still in the middle of his explanation when one power level began to fade away --- and it belonged to Vegeta. Unable to take it any longer, Goten rushed out of Capsule Corporation, followed by Boxer, both fearing that they would lose the Saiyajin no Ouji if they would not arrive in the battlefield in time.

"No... Otousan... You can't die... You just can't die... Hold on... Please..." Goten muttered over and over as he and Boxer flew towards the location of their fathers. However, he was unsure of who he was truly referring to. Vegeta, the one he considered his father; or Goku, the real one?

He hated Goku, yes... but deep down inside, he still loved him.

_Somehow_. 


	20. The Beginning of the End

Author's Note: I don't know if this will be good news or bad news to you, but this fic is almost coming to an end. I actually planned to stretch it further than the supposed ending, but I think it would be better to leave the rest of the story as a mystery. Not that it will be too hard to figure out, as what will happen at that unrevealed story will be made known in the sequel of this little fic of mine, _Renascimento_. But I still have to work on editing it, though. *sweatdrops*

I would like to thank all those who reviewed, it was nice hearing from you. I'm glad you like this, although this is one of my older fics and at the moment, I have a bit of dislike towards the plotline and all. But I'm happy that you like it! As for what'll happen to Trunks... well... you'll have to wait and see. Although this chapter already holds the clues. =P

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Nineteen: The Beginning of the End

Blue eyes, icy yet etched with sadness, gawked at the newcomer who trudged in the cozy haven, his face accented with bruises and his body decorated with wounds at various parts. If it wasn't for his dark cloak, it would have appeared as if he was a walking punching bag.

With one eyebrow raised, Trunks asked, "What mess have _you_ gotten yourself in this time?"

The Hakaijin warlord stopped, turned to his apprentice, and replied coldly, "Open your senses and you will know. I'm sure it won't be too hard to figure out."

"It appears as if you just slaughtered the most powerful warriors in this planet --- from the tone of your voice and that smile you're wearing, that is."

"Oh I just did," Thanatos answered coolly. "I just did."

Trunks, who was not really paying attention to his master and was plainly challenging his temper, froze at those words. He turned to the warlord with a questioning look, but before he could open his mouth to clarify what he just heard, a significant power level died down like a child drowning in the depths of the ocean.

"No..."

"I don't know what you've been thinking about, but apparently, you've been too occupied with our thoughts that you isolated yourself---" his voice trailed off as he was lifted from the ground by his apprentice, who was glaring daggers at him. "Now, now, Trunks, what's the matter?"

"You killed my father. You said you will NOT harm anyone from my family!"

"I never promised," Thanatos replied with a calm expression. "And besides, he got in the way. He interfered. He did not mind his own business. He pledged allegiance to that idiot Goku. Most importantly, he accused me of brainwashing you. Such insult I cannot take. You came to me; nothing more, nothing less. And I was left with no choice. I had to kill him."

The ice in Trunks' eyes melted away, but fire replaced it. "WHY YOU---"

"If there's anyone who's supposed to be mad in the first place, it's me. Why? Because once again, you _failed_. I gave you your final mission. I ordered you to eliminate Goten Son. And yet, you were unable to do so. You _ran away_."

"I did _not_ run away!" the demi-saiyajin objected.

"Say what you want, my apprentice. But it will not make a difference. Face it --- you failed, and you deserved to be punished for that failure."

He did not reply as he let go and averted his gaze towards the ground. Thanatos was right; he failed. "But... you shouldn't have killed my father... you shouldn't have..."

"My, getting soft, aren't we? I'm warning you, Trunks. Show up with a trace of that softness of yours, and I won't hesitate to eliminate the remaining members of your clan until you'll be alone, just like your _best friend_. Am I clear?"

Trunks swallowed, and then, he nodded, although it was in a reluctant fashion.

"Now, track down your target and kill him. Or is that too hard to do?" the warlord inquired with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "Go, and do not fail me this time. I will be watching your every move, so be careful. Be very careful. And if I'm not satisfied... your loved ones will pay the price."

Trembling, he ran a hand over Vegeta's pale features, unwilling to accept the disappointing end that a man as honorable as him --- full of hope despite of the dark past he was once imprisoned in --- achieved. As Goten sunk further down to lift the older saiyajin into his arms, he heard Boxer's mournful cries from behind him.

Tears fell from his dark orbs as Boxer continued to wail, the words _why_, _daddy_ and _no_ echoing through the wilderness of sand and stone repeatedly. He opened his mouth to say something, but he found himself unable to. A painful lump crept up to his throat then and there, and it stopped him from saying what he wanted.

All he could do was cry.

He pulled his cold, lifeless body close to him. There was nothing he could do now, except to cry. He was gone. There was nothing he could do to bring him back.

Vegeta, the Saiyajin no Ouji, was dead.

"He didn't deserve to die... Not like this... Not yet..." Boxer wailed as he weakened and fell on both knees. He continued to sob, mourning the loss of someone he loved dearly, although it was evident that he was angry and frustrated.

And then, he got up and screamed, releasing all the pain he felt inside. Never had he felt so bad. Never in his entire life, not even at the death of his sister, Bra.

His father's death was just too much.

"It's all right, Boxer," Goten began as he finally regained enough of his composure to speak. "Just cry. I know how you feel. He... He was a very good man. Full of love, full of kindness. Although he never showed it openly. He understood me when everyone else didn't... He listened to me when everyone else wouldn't... And that, was the best thing he ever did for me. He was there. He was there, all the time. Waiting," the older warrior finished as he hung his head in silence.

Then, they heard moans.

Their ears immediately perked up as they attempted to track down where the voice originated, for they were unable to sense the owner's ki. It was too weak, too faint, but they knew that they must find the person behind it fast.

Goten suddenly froze, two emotions filling him to the brim. Urgency and fear. And all of a sudden, he felt pain. He placed his hands over his chest, his chest that ached terribly without warning. But there was more than just physical pain; there was... the pain of the heart.

It hit him.

"Otousan... No..."

He ran, suddenly knowing where his real father, Goku, lay. And it didn't take him long to get to the dying saiyajin. Without hesitation, Goten knelt down by his father's side, and examined the older man's condition.

Goku stirred.

Tears sprung to Goten's eyes, for seeing the other breathing was a great relief. "Thank Kami you're all right! I was so worried!"

On the other hand, Goku --- upon realizing that the young man who was by his side was Goten --- opened his eyes to look at the face of his youngest son, the son he had always loved, yet never had time for. He smiled weakly, but to the younger saiyajin's surprise, he averted his gaze. "No, Goten. I'm not all right. My... My time has come."

"No..." Goten blurted out in disbelief, and then, he shook his head, refusing to give in to what the other just said. "That's not true! You can't die! You can't leave me! There's still so many things we have to do --- so many things we have to do _together_! You can't go just yet! You're... You're the only family I have left!"

The older warrior closed his eyes.

"Otousan! Open your eyes! Don't do this to me!" Goten exclaimed in panic, taking his father into his arms as even more tears cascaded down his eyes. "Don't make things harder for me! Don't give up! I'm begging you! Please! Otousan, don't leave me!"

"My son..." the other whispered as he opened his eyes once more and reached out to touch the face of the young man who now had love and compassion for him. "I'm... sorry. I fought him as valiantly as I could. But... he was just... too strong. Vegeta and I... we tried. Very hard. But... our strength... was just not enough. I'm sorry if I have to leave this burden on your shoulders... but I don't have a choice. I'm sorry, my son. I did my best... but my best just wasn't good enough."

"No... _I'm_ sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for treating you the way I did. I'm sorry for being mean to you. I'm sorry for disrespecting you. It's all my fault. I misunderstood you. I denied the fact that you really loved me. I resented everything you did to put us back together. I should have given you the chance. If I did, then we would have patched things up sooner... and we would have been... happier," Goten paused to swallow, to get rid of the painful lump that crept up on his throat --- and when he finished doing so, he softly added, "Otousan."

Goku forced a smile despite of his condition. "Otousan..." he murmured as his muscles relaxed and his eyes slowly closed, as if in contemplation. "I never thought... I'd hear you... call me that... ever again. I'm happy... to hear that... my son."

He then opened his eyes once more and gripped Goten's hand. "I never... had anything against you. Even if... you spoke harshly towards me... I never hated you. I understood you... completely. It was my fault. I thought that... being a hero... being one of the Z-Senshi... being this planet's protector... was more important... than being a father. Because if I was... strong... then I would be able to... protect my family... you, your brother and your mother... who I love... very much. I'm... very sorry..."

"Please... don't leave me," Goten continued to beg. "I promise to make up for everything that I've done. I promise to be a better son, and I will do everything in my power to make you happy. Just... don't leave me. I... I love you so much. I never admitted it, because I was then too prideful to do so... but in reality, I love you. I really do."

"Say you forgive me."

Goten shook his head. "No, don't you---"

"Say it," his father insisted.

"I... I forgive you," he said wholeheartedly and without doubt. "I forgive you."

With that, the older man said, "I can finally rest in peace."

Goten's eyes flew wide open, and then he cried out, "NO! YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! YOU JUST CAN'T! DON'T DO THIS TO ME! PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU!"

"Be strong, Goten. Be strong. Just remember that I love you very much... my _son_."

And he breathed his last.

The young man's world fell apart right then and there as he stared at his father's lifeless body. All his barriers gave in, all the pillars of his emotions broke into pieces and scattered into oblivion. He laid Goku's body gently on the ground, and then he lifted his hands and stared at them. His hands were shaking. No, _he_ was shaking --- quivering as he realized what had happened. And then, he cried. He screamed. He went berserk. He was told to be strong, but he was just unable to stop himself from breaking down.

He was now alone.

"What are you doing here?!" Boxer demanded with angry eyes as he clutched his father's inert body protectively close to him.

Before the demi-saiyajin could say anything more, Trunks whispered, "Dad..."

"You're here to show that you actually have love and compassion left in your ice-cold heart, then? Well, I appreciate your effort, but I suggest you tear off that mask you're wearing and get on with what you're supposed to do. Don't involve dad's death in your crazy schemes," the younger of the Briefs-Vegeta siblings snapped in the coldest tone he ever mustered.

"Boxer, you don't understand---"

"Really? I don't understand? No, Oniichan. _You_ don't understand. You're closing your eyes to the truth. You're shutting yourself from what's obvious. Thanatos is only using you --- can't you see that?!"

Trunks was about to reply when he felt a hand grip his shoulder tightly. He spun around by reflex, only to be met by Goten's eyes that was burning with anger and the words hissed in an icy tone that was the complete opposite of his eyes, "You killed my father."

And before he could move a muscle, Goten punched him.

Trunks squinted an eye open as pain stung his face, and he saw Goten towering above him. Still furious, Goten took him by the collar of his fighting gi, and lifted him up, staring deep into his eyes. "What's wrong, Trunks? You were strong enough to knock me down before. Why are you now holding back?!"

"I don't want to fight you," came Trunks' weak reply.

Goten threw him back to the ground, and then, he put his foot over the latter's chest, pressing down without hesitation. "It will take more than this to make you pay for what you did to the people I loved --- because it was your fault that I lost them all!" he shot angrily as he pressed his foot on Trunks' chest even harder. 

The other could only grimace in pain.

Then Goten started kicking his adversary, but to his surprise, his former best friend wasn't fighting back. "Don't be a coward and fight," he snapped in a huff. "Now is your chance to kill me, so take it! But why aren't you fighting back? What do you really want with me?"

"I need your help."

The demi-saiyajin stopped. "Help?" he began with an expression of disbelief. "You need help?! Stop fooling around, Trunks! I know what your real motives are. You're just trying to get my sympathy and compassion so I won't finish you off, and then you'll strike me from behind. I'm not falling for that trick. Think of a better one, maybe you have other ideas that might just work."

However, Trunks' sapphire eyes were utterly serious. "I'm not fooling around, Goten. Yes, I'm envious of you --- I was and I still am. You have everything while I have nothing. You're better than me in everything imaginable. And when Thanatos gave me the chance to kill you by offering me power like no other, I took the chance. But I was wrong in doing so. I'm now a prisoner. _His_ prisoner."

Goten raised an eyebrow.

"He told me that once I'll be able complete my final mission, I'll be free. And that final mission is to kill you. But no, I'll never be free. Because that final mission of his will send me to my grave. Yes, I've become a lot more puissant thanks to him and the power he gave me, but you're still more powerful than me even at that development. Especially with anger as your springboard. And there's only one way for me to be free. That is---"

"To defeat Thanatos and finish him off?" the other inquired.

Trunks nodded. "That's precisely why I need your help. I can't beat him alone."

"I'll pass," Goten replied before he turned around to leave.

"Goten, PLEASE! I'm begging you!" the other exclaimed as he scrambled to his feet and attempted to catch up with the demi-saiyajin. "There's no other way!"

"There's no other way to what? Set you free? Why should I care about you? Why should I help you? Why should I help someone who put me in jeopardy in the first place?"

Trunks met the other's gaze without hesitation. "I know. I'm responsible for all the pain you are feeling. I'm responsible for all your suffering. I killed your family. I stole your wife. I framed you up. I betrayed you. But now, I deeply regret what I've done. I don't know what came to me and brought me into the madness, but I also don't know what brought me out of it either. It just happened," he explained. "I know that I cannot bring back the people who died in my hands, or in the hands of the demon who mislead me, but I do know that justice can be achieved."

"Justice. Mercy. Sympathy. Kindness. Compassion. Love. All those things. Did you even think about them, when you pledged allegiance to Thanatos?" Goten asked sternly, but he was answered by silence. "I take it your answer's a _no_."

The other hesitated, but then, he nodded. "You're right. I didn't think about them, because I was too occupied in attaining my revenge. In getting back at you. My pride took over my common sense, along with my anger and hate." 

Then he went down on both knees, in front of Goten, and his younger brother, Boxer, who had been quiet all along. "Please, give me a chance. I need your help in defeating our common enemy. Alone, I am incapable of victory. But with your help, Goten --- and you too, Boxer --- we might just win." He paused to look at them with pleading eyes. "We're the only warriors left in this world. We're Earth's last and only line of defense. And we should not waste our time by arguing over these matters. We need to take action _now_. Please. I'm begging you. Put your trust in me, and fight by my side."

Boxer's eyes softened at his brother's words, for he actually felt sincerity and honesty behind those words. Before he could say something, however, the other warrior cut him off once again, his suspicion still apparent. 

"Give me one good reason why I should trust you," Goten challenged.

Trunks met his gaze. "Because there's nobody else you can trust."


	21. Hopeless Resolution

_Author's Note:_

_I would like to thank everyone who reviewed. You were simply fabulous; you gave me the inspiration I needed to kick me out of my laziness. I know I've said that time and again, but I mean it just as much every time. After all, you're all very inspiring. *smiles* Anyway, I'm actually having doubts about the ending point of this fic. I already have the ending in mind, yes, but I'm also thinking of stretching it to cover the additional part that I wasn't planning to cover originally, which is still pretty long._

_However, that additional part will be covered/explained through flashbacks and narration in this fic's sequel, _Renascimento_, so I'm also thinking of not stretching it out anymore. As for those who have read the original version of that sequel, expect many changes. The first few chapters might have been pretty much the same with the original version, but there's going to be a lot of new things in the chapters to come. I'm evil, I know._

_Anyway, here's Chapter Twenty. If you have any questions, please leave it in your review. And as for the question that I was asked, "Will Trunks be redeemed?" by one of the reviewers... you'll know in this chapter. So, I'll let you read on now._

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**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Twenty: Hopeless Resolution

_"I warned you, Trunks. I warned you. But you chose to disobey me. You chose to defy my orders. You chose to side with those infidels. I would've spared you. I would've spared your family. But you made the wrong choice. Now, the time has come for you --- and your loved ones --- to pay the price."_

The muscles in Trunks' body tightened at those words, but he quickly pushed his fear away. _This is it. Now or never_, he told himself sternly, sweeping one last gaze at his companions, before he stepped forward and yelled, "THANATOS! THAT'S ENOUGH OF YOUR HIDING! DON'T BE A COWARD AND SHOW YOURSELF!"

It didn't take long for the dark warlord to appear in front of the demi-saiyajins, although he had already recovered from the injuries he attained in his battle with Goku and Vegeta, much to Trunks' surprise. He gazed at the three warriors for a few moments, before he burst into maniacal laughter. "So, you three plan to take me down once and for all? Your efforts will be futile, I'm telling you --- but it would be amusing to see you try."

Boxer dropped into a fighting stance, shortly followed by his older brother. Despite the fact that the former wasn't very skilled a warrior, he wanted to help out in eradicating the alien, nonetheless. Goten, however, did not stir, did not move a muscle. He stood still and without a word, although his raven eyes were blazing like a supernova that was at the verge of swallowing an entire star system, and so was his aura. 

"You killed my father," he growled in a low, threatening tone, his eyes locked unto Thanatos' crimson orbs. Everything that happened in the past, caused by the evil warlord who stood in front of him, made the anger inside of him rise like a destructive tsunami. "And you're going to pay dearly for what you've done."

With that, he attacked. He threw punches and kicks blindly, too angry to do anything right. In fact, he was just messing everything up, yet he did not seem to notice it. When none of his physical attacks worked, he jumped up and dove towards Thanatos, his fist charged up with energy and closing in towards his enemy's face. However, the other merely stopped the assault with much ease. 

And faster than he could blink, he was down on the ground, exhausted with his successive assault that was useless against the warlord, to his disbelief. As if on cue, the Briefs-Vegeta brothers jumped into action, taking the place of their fallent friend. At first they attacked Thanatos with punches and kicks Vegeta-style, but when they found that their efforts were futile, they decided that it was time to use their powers to the fullest.

Trunks flew to Thanatos' left; Boxer to the right --- and together, they charged. As they did so, they cupped their hands together and charged up separate energy beams, yelling, "KAMEHAME---"

And when they were close enough, they exclaimed, "HA!" and released their beams.

Both beams met, accumulated into a bright ball of energy, and exploded. The brothers shielded themselves from the blast, but it was too late when they realized that Thanatos managed to escape from the range of the beam. He was hovering above them, energy balls charged up in both hands, and with a smirk, he bombarded the demi-saiyajins with his energy balls as a fierce counter attack.

The older of the two managed to dodge the energy balls, but Boxer wasn't too lucky. He managed to evade the attacks at first, but the energy balls caught up with him eventually. His older brother could only look on in anger and frustration, and mutter a curse with regards to the younger Briefs-Vegeta's agility, which he thought was hopeless.

Boxer groaned as the rain of ki-attacks ended, but before he could pull himself together, a hand grabbed him by the head, and he heard mocking words that could only come from Thanatos' mouth. "Looks like you will be joining your father soon. Let's make it memorable, shall we?"

"LEAVE MY BROTHER ALONE!" Trunks bellowed as he rushed towards Thanatos, another energy blast charged up in his hand. However, he did not get the opportunity to fire it, for the Hakaijin warrior ignited his ki-saber and aimed it towards the younger demi-saiyajin's throat.

"One wrong move, Trunks, and your brother will go bye-bye," Thanatos warned with a stern tone yet with a sneer on his pale, alien features. He cocked his head to the side slightly to address the other fighter who was slowly regaining his composure. "The same goes for you, Goten. So if you don't want this kid to die, surrender quietly and bow down before me!"

Panic swept Trunks' face as he was once again faced with a dilemna, once again faced with a difficult choice. He looked into Boxer's eyes, attempting to see what the latter wanted him to do, but fierce, determined eyes in a burning shade of blue that seemed to fear no one, seemed to fear nothing, met him in return.

And that gave the demi-saiyajin the strength and the confidence he needed to say _no_. "Never," Trunks replied with conviction, his tone stern and with utter finality. "You deceived me once --- used me, mislead me. But that will not happen again. Never again will I become the monster you molded me into. I am Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, Prince of the Saiyajins," he claimed, hoping to honor the title that his father left them, "and I will do whatever it will take to crush you."

"Power, like a desolating pestilence, pollutes whatever it touches," Thanatos began, his eyes sparkling with crazy delight at what he was doing. "It was that power that brought you, that pulled you, to me. It was that power that destroyed you, and turned you into a monster --- the monster you claimed to have become. It was that power that took control of you and shaped your life. As it took control, shaped and polluted mine."

"Yes, and my greatest mistake was selling my best friend, his life, everything and everyone he had in exchange for it. Now I am here to atone for what I've done, and I will personally see to it that you will fall by my hand," Trunks countered, his eyes narrow and his gaze dark. "Now, let my brother go and let's settle our score."

Thanatos smirked. "Very well, then," he mumbled as he deactivated his saber and tucked it back to the belt of his fighting suit. "I'll let your brother go. But not without a little treat."

The demi-saiyajin's eyes flew wide in surprise as Thanatos thrust his free hand against his brother's chest and charged up a ki-blast. With the teenager in such a close range --- and in such a weakened state --- he was bound to be turned to ashes in no time. All Thanatos would have to do was to release the beam.

And without hesitation, the dark warrior released it.

Boxer lay on the floor, a hand on his chest, trying to stop the flow of blood as much as he could. Thanatos hit him with a force enough to render him paralyzed for a while but fortunately, not enough to knock him out. 

When he first opened his eyes a few moments back, he could not see anything but the sky that spread above him, and his vision still a blur. His entire body hurt so much, he could barely move. He slowly clamped his hand into a fist and attempted to stand up, but he failed on both counts. The wound on his face --- as well as on the other parts of his body, caused by the blast Thanatos fired that dissipated into tiny pieces --- stung badly. In fact, he felt as if his face was on fire, as well as the rest of his body. 

Despite his injuries, he knew that he had to rise up and fight. His body ached terribly, but he was determined to get past all the pain. The battle was not over yet. Not until Thanatos was extinguished. With that thought in mind, he once again tried to get up, but to no avail. Unable to move a muscle, he attempted to see what was going on in the battlefield instead. Upon cocking his head slightly to the right, he was greeted by a sight that he wish he never saw. 

Blood. But not just blood, it was all over him. All over the right side of his body --- his arms, his legs, his shoulders, his chest, his abdomen, his face...

And then, it hit him.

He went back to full concentration as he once again tried to clamp his left hand into a fist, but he was unable to. He tried to move his left leg even just a tiny bit, but he too, failed at that. He tried to flex the fingers on his left hand instead, but still, it did not work.

He remembered from a medical encyclopedia he owned that the right half of the brain controlled the left half of the human body, while the left half of the brain controlled the right. At the moment, the right half of his body --- head to foot --- was severely damaged, and Boxer was sure that his brain was damaged as well, because he felt different and somewhat... _unstable_.

And it only meant one thing.

The younger Briefs-Vegeta went paler than he already was as he realized what had happened to him. He thought that the beam the dark lord hit him with was something to laugh at, as it didn't even manage to knock him unconscious, but he was wrong. He thought that his paralysis was only temporary, but he was wrong. 

He was paralyzed for life, unless the Reaper would get him first.

"Boxer! Boxer, can you hear me?" Trunks called out in a very worried tone as he shook his little brother gently, trying his best to snap the latter back into reality. He saw that his brother was alive and breathing --- even conscious --- but there was something simply wrong with the way he looked. "Please, tell me that you're okay!"

However, all Boxer could do was look at his brother helplessly. He wanted to move, but he just couldn't. He wanted to tell his brother that he was all right, so Trunks would stop worrying about him and concentrate on the battle with Thanatos instead, but he just couldn't. He wanted to hug his brother to show how grateful he was that the older demi-saiyajin decided to turn back into the good side, but he just couldn't.

"Oh no... Boxer, not you too! Hold on, don't die! You have to hang on! For me, _please?_ I know I've never been the best brother ever, but I'll make amends for that! I promise! Just... Just don't die on me! I'm begging you! I don't want to lose you too!"

_I'm fine, Oniichan. Really. Don't worry about me, I'm just injured and paralyzed. Nothing for you to really worry about_, Boxer thought, wanting to say all of it out loud, but he was simply unable to. His body would not cooperate, no matter how hard he tried.

He could only stare.

Blow after blow came on both sides of Goten's face, and before he could even recover from the sudden, successive assault, a powerful force hit him in the gut. He screamed in pain as he crashed, face down, to the ground. He forced himself to get up, but Thanatos pulled him up by his neck, and the more he struggled, the more he had trouble breathing. 

When he was at the verge of suffocating, Thanatos threw him back to the ground, and he lay there for a couple of moments, trying to catch his breath. "What's wrong, Goten?" Thanatos sneered in satisfaction, his figure a dark shadow clashing against the bright sky. "Tired already? Are you giving up?"

"NEVER!" came the reply.

It pleased the dark lord even more as the demi-saiyajin pushed himself up once again to fight him. He was about to do another attack when a power level erupted from behind them, which made him turn to see who it was --- as well as Thanatos.

To their surprise, it was Trunks. His aura seemed to have gone berserk, just as he had erupted in anger, for it was swirling around him like a tornado accompanied by mini-lightning bolts that emphasized the intensity of the power he currently possessed. His eyes were glowing in anger, but the evil glint that used to be there was gone.

Using the distraction to his advantage, Goten rushed towards Thanatos and grabbed the warlord's weapon. As soon as Thanatos noticed what the demi-saiyajin just did, he sprinted after him, but he was almost immediately blocked by the other warrior, the older of the two, who fired a massive energy beam right on target.

And as Trunks did so, Goten landed by Boxer's side and crushed the Hakaijin's ki-saber into pieces, letting the debris fall to the barren ground in a heap. He knew that the battle was not over yet, but he was glad that they were able to do something advantageous, something that would even up the odds between them and the alien warlord.

"Goten," Trunks began softly as he landed and turned towards the warrior who was once his best friend, a melancholic look in his deep sapphire eyes. "I'm sorry. I really am. I know that I... I destroyed your life. Completely. But those times... my emotions of envy and hatred got the best of me."

He paused for a moment as Goten looked at him with confused raven eyes, and before the other could ask him questions, he continued with what he had to say. "Leave me, _now!_ You don't deserve someone like me as a friend. You trusted me, but I ruined that trust. I betrayed you. I betrayed the entire team. I deserve to rot in the depths of hell to atone for everything I've done. While my brother... deserves to be saved."

"Trunks---"

"Go."

"But---"

Trunks looked at Goten straight in the eye, blue meeting black once again, pleading that he do him one last favor that could change the fate of them all. That could make the deaths of their comrades count. That could generate hope if he will lose the battle he will soon plunge himself into. "Save my brother, save yourself. You're... you're the only ones I have left. I'll take things from here. I promise you, Thanatos is going down."

"Trunks, listen. You can't---"

"Don't worry. I'll catch up with you once I get rid of that monster. But I want you to promise me that you'll do your best that my brother will live. Promise me, Goten. I want you to promise me."

The two of them regarded each other in silence for a few moments, and then, the younger demi-saiyajin nodded. "I promise. I don't want to leave you behind, Trunks... but I don't think I can stop you from doing what you want. I've never been able to, not even when we were still best of friends..." his voice trailed off, and then, he smiled. "No. We're best of friends. We still are."

"Goten..." Trunks began, but then he knew it was not the time to talk about the matter. He didn't even want to talk about the matter, because he knew it was too late. Nothing, no one, could change his fate. Right from the start, he was doomed. Right from the time when he signed the contract of the devil. "Go, before he recovers."

"I'll be expecting you in Sabrea soon."

"Sure, I'll be there," Trunks told him coolly, and with that, Goten picked up the younger Briefs-Vegeta and flew off, sparing one last glance at the important person he was leaving behind before actually heading off towards the vessel that would take them to Videl's homeword. However, with a pained expression, Trunks said to himself softly, "We won't be best of friends ever again, painful as it may sound. I don't deserve you as my friend. No. _You_ don't deserve _me_ as your friend."

As he once again dropped into a fighting stance upon sensing Thanatos recover from the blast he fired, he added in a barely audible voice, "Sure, I'll be there... but that's not a promise."

While waiting for the starfighter _Kibou_ to reach its fully operational mode, Goten glanced uneasily at Boxer, who was securely strapped in the co-pilot's seat, not moving a muscle. The older demi-saiyajin looked into the other's pained eyes and pleaded, "Boxer, please. For your brother's sake --- and mine --- hang on."

The ship gave off a loud _hum_, indicating its readiness for flight and even a hyperspace jump. However, Goten felt unable to do so, for the thought of leaving Trunks, his best friend, behind was holding him back. He did not want to abandon his best friend, for he felt that he was betraying one of the people who meant so much to him. He felt like he was leaving Trunks behind to die a lonely death in the hands of the enemy --- and that was something he could not bear to do.

He pushed those thoughts away. "No. He will defeat Thanatos and meet us back in Sabrea. Then we're going to start anew and live a happy life --- the three of us, with your mom, Keeney, Videl, Pan and Oniichan. We will start over and build a future full of hope and love. No, Trunks isn't going to die."

_He's not going to die_, he repeated to stabilize himself, for he felt his stomach lurch as he envisioned the probable final showdown that was bound to take place between his best friend and the alien warlord who caused so much damage and killed so many of their comrades.

Hoping against hope that Trunks would be saved from the wretched hands of death, Goten kicked the starfighter's engines to life and took off for his sister-in-law's homeplanet, Sabrea.


	22. Final Atonement

_Author's Note:_

_This is the second to the last chapter of this fanfic. As much as I would love expanding this to include what happens in the later years, I want to go back to working on its sequel, __Renascimento__, which I am revising greatly, now that I've seen most of the Buu saga. Besides, I think it would be good to leave the speculating to you. *grins* Anyway, I won't delay you any further, here's Chapter Twenty-One. Please review and share to me your thoughts._

* * *

**Crimson Tide  
**Chapter Twenty-One: Final Atonement

His sapphire eyes narrowed drastically, Trunks gritted his teeth as he continued to do his part in the seemingly endless struggle of survival against the Hakaijin warlord who he believed to be the incarnation of the devil --- or perhaps Thanatos was the devil himself, for that matter. "Damn it," the demi-saiyajin cursed as he deflected another bolt of energy that the warlord hurled at him. He was losing energy fast, and if the energy loss would continue, he would lose everything he had left in no time.

Including Earth and all of its inhabitants.

"The time has come to put an end to this show, my apprentice. I'll give you one last chance, one last choice to make," Thanatos muttered as he stopped and extended his hand to offer something. From the look in his glowing red orbs, it was something that would determine the fate of his adversary and the planet they were battling upon. "Join me, or die. Your decision."

In response, the young man laughed. "What is it with me that you're still offering me one last chance? Am I really that precious for you to lose?" he asked sarcastically, his eyes glittering in a crazed fashion. Yes, he knew he was out of his mind --- but not _that_ out of his mind that he was going to fall for the demon's traps. "Sorry, _Master_, but I've changed alliances. I'm fighting the good fight now, and if you wish to kill me, then I suggest you try. You won't get rid of me that easily."

An angry light shone through the other's feral eyes, and with a cold voice, he muttered, "Very well. Let's end this now, then." He then resumed the fighting stance he had adapted --- the demi-saiyajin doing the same --- cupped his hands together, and began charging up another energy wave. His final attack. "We've had this battle long enough."

"With pleasure," the half-alien warrior replied in an equally cool voice. He thought of all the mistakes he committed, all the wrong he had done --- and most importantly, all the people he had hurt and all the people he had lost. Bra, Ariadne, Krillin, Juuhachigou, Chichi, Vegeta, Goku, Celeste, Keeney, Boxer, Goten...

He screamed, his power flowing out of his body like a fountain that had no intention of depriving those who need its water. If he had dropped out of his super saiyajin power-up moments earlier, he was recovering --- in fact, he was more than just recovering. His golden locks began to stretch longer and longer, his eyes began to glow with a brighter, fiercer hue of green. 

When he completed the transformation to the third level of a super saiyajin, he prepared a massive energy blast of his own as a counterstrike. _Goten_, the demi-saiyajin thought to himself with much sadness and regret, but as he averted his gaze at Thanatos, his cerulean eyes hardened, shining with fierceness and determination. He had one last chance, one last chance to redeem himself --- and he was going to use it well. _I won't let you down, buddy_.

When Thanatos released his hideous-looking beam of overflowing power, Trunks blasted the warlord with the ki he managed to charge up in his cupped hands as well, and the final game of tug-of-war began between the two most powerful warriors left on the planet, the two on the opposite sides of the spectrum. The fate of the world lay on Trunks Briefs-Vegeta's hands --- and the energy wave he was putting all his strength and power into at the moment, for that matter.

"Lady Keeney, what's wrong?"

The female demi-saiyajin stared at the vast Sabrean sky that was accented with starfighters, freighters and mini-transports that moved about live fireflies in the dark night. Her fear-filled eyes focused on the spots of light that were nearly invisible to the naked eye with a hand pinned against her chest as if she was trying to stop her heart from beating frantically as it was doing now. "I'm afraid... I have a very bad feeling that something had gone terribly wrong on Earth. And that _something_ involves my family..."

"Don't worry, Keeney," Videl, who now stood as the Empress of Sabrea at the former Empress Callista's downfall, said as she stepped up beside the tense demi-saiyajin. She was concerned --- worried, in fact --- but she tried not to show what she was feeling deep inside of her, as it would only cause even more trouble on the situation at hand. "I'm sure they're doing fine. I just received a transmission from Goten. He's on his way here, and he brought good news."

The younger woman raised an eyebrow with a dangerous edge, clearly sensing the false tone of glee the empress used.

At that, the Empress sighed, apparently defeated. If there was one thing about the saiyajins that she didn't like, it was the fact that they were very stubborn warriors. "_And_ bad news," she added, pursing her lips together to regain her composure before continuing. "However, there is nothing to worry about. The best specialists in this planet are standing by to attend to your brother the moment he arrives with Goten."

"My _b-brother?_" Keeney asked as she whirled around to face her friend, immediately worried and alarmed beyond belief. The warning bell at the back of her mind, after all, had burst into a deafening symphony. "W-what h-happened to him? H-how severe is his c-condition? What about G-goten?" Then, she added, "And which of m-my b-brothers?

"Just don't think about it. Boxer will be fine."

The flame in Keeney's eyes erupted instantly. If there was anyone he cared for among her siblings the most, it was Boxer, her younger brother. Not only was he young and innocent, he was there when her other siblings weren't. "_Just don't think about it?!_ How could I not, Videl?! Boxer is my _brother_ for crying out loud!" she exclaimed angrily, her hands clenched into fists helplessly at her sides. "What about Trunks? And my father? What happened to them?!"

"Calm down, Keeney. Calm down."

"TELL ME!"

Videl looked at the demi-saiyajin in silence for a while, trying to find the best way to break the truth, then she shook her head. There was obviously no other way but to tell her the truth, no matter what its effects would be to the young woman's unusually short temper. "I don't know. Goten didn't mention anything about it. If you like, I'll take you to the control center for you to listen to his message."

"Take me there, then."

The older woman nodded curtly, and then she lead Keeney to the control station of the Sabrean Royal Palace, a vast office that seemed to stretch on and on through its walls that depicted the vastness of the realm past the planet's atmosphere. A few scientists snuggled on their seats, facing their computers, hammering away. Some were programming new weapons --- specifically ones that involved biotechnology --- while others were scouting for those with potential for the Royal Army. The rest of the Sabreurs were working on confidential matters.

When they reached the main computer of the center, Videl motioned the station commander to move out of her seat. Once the commander did so, Keeney slid in, put on the headphones, and listened to the rather faint transmission from the starfighter _Kibou_, which was only a few light-years away by then.

_Sabrea control station, this is Goten Son, pilot of starfighter Kibou, class Chikyuu-Sabrean X-303, with identification code MVDA95K9. Videl, I _need_ your help. Boxer is severely injured and he needs medical assistance as soon as we get there. We might lose him if he will not be attended to immediately. We're on our way, just a few light-years off --- and please tell Keeney that everything is under control. Over and out._

"He better be all right, Goten," Keeney muttered, tears springing to her eyes. "He better be all right."

The game of tug-of-war continued for what seemed like a very long time, and to the demi-saiyajin's advantage, Thanatos was losing his edge. Trunks, with fierce emerald eyes that held determination like no other, began to advance and move closer towards the dark lord. "Give it up, Thanatos!" the young man screamed for the other to hear him despite of the deafening noise made by their powerful energy blasts that collided with each other. "Your game's up"

_No... I won't give up... Damnit..._ Thanatos thought as he gritted his teeth, for the energy wave he was hanging on to began to slip out of his control. He was frustrated, not only because he was losing, but he was losing to the young man who he thought he had successfully corrupted. Fragments of Trunks' massive blast dissipated from their source and bombarded themselves on the warlord, and then, it happened.

Thanatos lost his concentration.

His energy wave, _Hinohakai_, the _Flame of Destruction_, went off-course --- and he was too weak to move, so much more charge up another energy blast. He used up all of his strength for that killer attack, and yet, his _killer_ _attack_ failed him. At that, Trunks strode forward, his guard still up, and finally, he was standing in front of his adversary, the dark soul who had terrorized them for so long, the pit of evil who took the lives of the people he so loved.

The dark lord's expression of fear and panic was matched then and there by the cruel and revengeful facade of the super warrior he was facing. Thanatos took a step back, fearing defeat, humiliation and even worse --- _death_ --- at the hands of a mere demi-saiyajin, a demi-saiyajin who he once managed to crush and take advantage of, but was now crushing him in return.

However, the more he backed off, the more Trunks advanced. There was nothing else on his mind but the elimination of the alien warrior who plagued their lives and filled the world with darkness. After all, despite the fact that his fallen comrades could be wished back to life by the Namekian Dragonballs --- as their own magical spheres lost their power at Dende's murder --- their team of freedom fighters, led by Goku, agreed that they would not toy with death and destiny any longer. If they were to die, then they would stay dead.

That thought made the demi-saiyajin stronger than ever, his anger filling him. There was no way to bring back everyone who had perished. His little sister, Bra, was gone forever. So was his father, Vegeta, and the love of his life, Celeste, who he stole from his best friend and eventually, induced to commit suicide. There was no way he was losing anyone ever again. "Scared, Thanatos? So who's the coward now? How does it feel? How does it feel to be afraid? To tremble like a scared little kid? To shiver like a helpless creature pitted against an extra-powerful super warrior? Face it, Thanatos. I win."

And taking the chance, Trunks attacked, releasing all the power he had left along with all the negative emotions he felt inside his heart. The negative emotions that destroyed his humanity, that destroyed who he was --- all the anger, the hatred, the bitterness, the envy, the distrust, the insecurity, the lust, and everything else that polluted his soul.

Then, it was over.

Thanatos stood there, unmoving and without a sound for a few heartbeats, but after what seemed to be forever, his eyes widened, his face lost its color, his heart stopped beating, his ki ceased from flowing through his body, and he fell limply to the ground, never again to rise up and terrorize anyone.

Exhausted beyond belief, the demi-saiyajin fell on both knees, clutching his chest as he gasped for breath. He was happy to have made it through the odds, to have thrown away the last remainder of the horrible life he lived --- but he was not satisfied. There was nothing more he wanted than to be with his family and friends once again, but he felt that he did not deserve to live that kind of life after all that he had done in the past.

It was time to pay the price.

And as if on cue, pain struck him from all sides. Pain that he had never felt before, not even in the midst of his battle with the warlord of hell. Trunks then fell on all fours, his hair and eye color returning to normal, blood dripping from his wounds, sweat dripping from his skin, still gasping for breath as he felt his lungs close on him. His vision blurred, his senses weakened, his world spun.

He lifted his blue eyes, blue eyes that were losing its color, as he attempted to break free from what was trying to get him, when he saw a dark figure standing in front of him in a still yet heart-stopping manner. It wore a hood that was in the darkest shade of ebony, held a weapon that looked like a larger version of a scythe --- only a lot deadlier --- and held out a thin, ghoulish hand towards the demi-saiyajin who was near-death. "It is time," it said coldly, almost lifelessly.

Trunks stared, attempting to determine who it was, but all he saw was a figure clad in dark clothing that just didn't seem to belong in the world he lived in. And the figure's hand that was white, pale and extraordinarily thin for a man of that body size and height.

Then it hit him.

"Yes, it is time," he whispered, his voice soft --- almost as if he, too, was fading into the darkness, to where the stranger belonged. Finally accepting his fate, his honorable end, he took the Grim Reaper's hand, but before he was pulled into the gate that opened up for them, he softly added, "Goten... forgive me."

_Goten... forgive me._

The dark-haired demi-saiyajin jolted awake, and almost immediately, he called out with an appalled tone, "Trunks?" 

However, he saw no one, only Boxer who was unconscious in the co-pilot's seat at the moment. Goten, still confused at what he just felt and heard, continued to look around the cockpit and into the back compartment of the starfighter --- then froze, his raven eyes widening in shock and terror. He could not feel Thanatos' ki, nor could he trace a speck of the evil he brought with him, but he, too, could not sense Trunks' presence anywhere.

"_No_..."

But it happened.

_I deserve to rot in the depths of hell to atone for everything I've done_, his best friend's words echoed in his mind as tears of anger and frustration cascaded from his anguished eyes. He squeezed them shut, as if forcing the tears and the fact that Trunks was dead away, but his efforts were all in vain. After slamming his fists on the controls in frustration, and nearly sending their spacecraft into a collision course with an asteroid, he leaned back against his seat, feeling so lost and alone.

On the viewscreen, he could see the demi-saiyajin's face, his face back when their lives were filled with no worries, except for work, occasional dates, and chocolate cake. As quickly as the illusion appeared, it faded back into the darkness of space, never to be seen again --- just as Trunks Briefs-Vegeta himself was never _ever_ to be seen again.


	23. Epilogue

_Author's Note:_

_Here you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the final chapter of this fanfic. I don't really know what I can say now that I've finished this, except that I am glad that I'm finally done with another one (I never thought I'd be able to get around to), and that I am glad that you stuck up for me all the way. I actually began to lose a lot interest in this fic, as the plot was one of the earliest ones I thought of and I thought it was pretty stupid already, but I started it, so I'm supposed to finish it, whether I find the plot stupid or not._

_There isn't really much to say; after all, you will being seeing me through other fanfics. So I guess it's self-promotion time! *excited grin, then stops* A-hem. *smiles* I'm working on two other DBZ fics now. One is the humor/pointless _**_In the Eyes of a Child_**_ (story ID =717449), wherein Videl gets into a car accident that gives her the mind span of a child. And of course, his boyfriend gets into a lot of trouble. Gohan torture! *rubs hands gleefully* My newer fic, which is most probably my favorite among all that I've written, is _**_Hikari No Will Power _**_(story ID =1035453), a Mirai timeline fic. It basically showcases the remains of the android-wrecked timeline, with a guest star from the present time, Goten. T/P and G/B fans will be disappointed, however, because the pairings are original. Not that I'm a supporter of those two pairings anyway; I prefer Goten (GT) hanging out with his girlfriend, Paresu (or Paris/Palace, whatever you learned her name to be)._

_Thanks again, everyone! You've given me a finished fic once again, through your support. And now, I bring you the final chapter. Hugs to all!_

* * *

**Crimson Tide  
**Epilogue

_Sabrea, 799 AD_

It only seemed yesterday when the Z-Senshi battled the greatest abomination that crossed their path of existence. It only seemed yesterday when, one by one, they fell into the hands of the Grim Reaper. It only seemed yesterday, when one of them turned his back and caused the downfall of many. It only seemed yesterday when they had to flee their homeplanet to seek refuge in a safe haven. It only seemed yesterday when Trunks, who succumbed to the warlord of darkness and betrayed them, snapped out of his trance and rejoined them, giving his life in return for their freedom.

But in reality, three years had already past --- three years of healing and recovery. The remaining warriors, however, recovered at different rates. Gokazu, young and practically unharmed, was the first to pull out of the vortex of depression, his eyes observing his parents in silent wonder as they went on from day to day with heavy hearts. But eventually, Gohan and Videl got over their grief, and focused on the tasks that awaited them as rulers of the planet of Sabrea.

Pan, despite the fact that she wasn't directly harmed, took longer to recover than his brother and parents. Not only was Chichi, her grandmother who was very close to her, killed in the demon's invasion of terror, the young man who she considered very dear to her was roaming through the palace walls for the past three years in a wheelchair. The pain that came to her heart upon the sight of the heavily-injured Boxer remained all those time. She didn't know when she would get over the whole ordeal; perhaps at the same time when her friend would.

The wounds afflicted on Boxer, the youngest remaining member of the Briefs-Vegeta clan, were not only on the outside, but also on the inside. His brother, who he thought was the most sensible one among the four of them, was actually the one responsible for so much destruction. Not only did Trunks betray Goten, his best friend and who Boxer considered to be a brother, the purple-haired demi-saiyajin caused their father and little sister to fall. _It's just not fair_, he thought bitterly, biting his lip.

Even if she had work to bury herself in, Bulma could not help but crying at the slightest reminder of the loved ones she had lost. Not only did she lose two very good friends --- Chichi and Goku --- she also lost a husband, a son, a daughter; and she felt that she was losing Boxer, too. The most dreadful thing above all those, however, was the fact that she lost her son to the darkness. She could not believe that someone she raised and cared for so many years fell to the claws of evil just like that.

Currently the eldest of the remaining Briefs-Vegeta siblings, Keeney felt the weight of responsibility on her shoulders, along with the heartache that added much to that load. She already lost four of her loved ones --- three to death, and one to another woman; she was about to lose one more, if Boxer's condition would make a turn for the worst. To add insult to injury, not only did she lose the man she dearly loved to someone else --- she lost him to the very same woman who betrayed him by having affair with his best friend.

The person who was hurting above them all was Goten, the victim of the whole ordeal. He gave so much _and_ lost so much. But he did not show how much he hurt inside, no matter how excruciating it was to keep his feelings locked up inside of him, because he did not want to drag everyone else along the depressing ride he was on. And most of all, he had other matters to attend to --- his three-year-old son, Goku, who he named after his father.

"Hey," a soft female voice called out from the far end of his room, and after sitting the little boy on his lap, he cocked his head to the side slightly to see his childhood friend enter the room with a smile that spoke volumes. After settling herself beside him, she took the child and cuddled him on her lap. "You wouldn't mind if I play with him for a while, would you?"

Of course he didn't and he wouldn't. "Feel free," he told her, forcing a smile to push away whatever he was feeling. He did not intend to infect her with his negative emotions; it would only cause more guilt on his part. He then stood up and stretched a few muscles to get rid of the numbness that came to him through his babysitting spree, before he added, "The boy needs a mother to look up to, after all."

The comment made Keeney shook her head. "Oh no," she blurted out, shaking her head in refusal. "I may be able to stand up as one eventually, but definitely not his. Nobody can replace a child's real mother, you know." She shut her eyes, realizing that her statement caused more hurt in her that in the man's own fragile heart. "As much as I love you, Goten, I don't want to get into a relationship that isn't mutual and---"

To her surprise, the demi-saiyajin had taken the opportunity to pull a chair and sit down in front of her, his beautiful raven orbs --- the eyes she had fallen for in the first place --- peering into her sapphire ones intently. He then pulled back, leaning against the back of the seat, and shrugged lightly, somehow not knowing what he exactly was trying to do. "Well," he began, taking a long pause as he sorted out what he wanted to say, "I just realized that I... I've been blind."

She shook her head once again, understanding where he was getting at. "Look, Goten," she said, stopping whatever she was doing to look at the other demi-saiyajin in the eye. As much as she wanted to jump into his arms and tell him that she wanted to be with him until the end of time, she knew it was wrong. "Celeste's your wife. You can't replace her with someone else just because she's dead, no matter what she did to you, no matter what that new someone can do to you, and no matter what you've realized."

"At least for Goku's sake?"

_That_ made her eyes soften considerably, her love for him shining through them. He knew that she could not be his wife; but he knew that she could very well be the boy's mother, someone the child could look up to as he would grow up. At that, Keeney smiled. "We'll tell him the truth when he's old enough, right?" she asked, and as she saw Goten nod, she continued, "What choice do I have? You know I can never refuse you when you ask a favor of me."

He sighed heavily. "Fate likes playing cruel tricks on its subordinates, doesn't it? I mean..." he trailed off, unable to put his feelings into words. Instead, he stood up and smiled. "Thanks, Keeney. I don't know what I'd do without you. And... I don't know what I could've done with you in my life right from the beginning."

At that, Goten turned away, tears springing up into his eyes. The truth was painful, so much more if it was realized at a time so late. He was mistaken when he decided to get married to Celeste after only a short period of engagement; he loved her, yes, but not as dearly as he loved his female best friend. If he gave himself more time, he would've seen it. Keeney would've been the real mother of his child, and Goku wouldn't have to grow up under a shield of lies.

The demi-saiyajin could hear Keeney's stifled sobs from behind him, and he knew that she, too, felt the same.

"Why am I doubting the security of this mission?" Videl voiced out worriedly, her eyes resting on the starfighter _Espoir _in which their daughter was loading up. Pan, along with her Uncle Goten and the Briefs-Vegeta siblings, had decided to go back to Earth and check up on the planet. They've received reports that everything was more or less back to normal, and they wanted to see it for themselves.

Gohan only put an arm around her in assurance. "Don't worry too much. It's not like they're going to fight or anything," he told her, but then his eyes narrowed considerably as a young man in a wheelchair strode through their line of sight. "Although I think Boxer shouldn't go. If things get dangerous, he'll slow them down and put them in danger."

His wife turned to look at him with slightly angry cerulean eyes, which greatly surprised him. "You've got to give the boy more credit, Gohan," she rebuked before flickering her gaze towards the injured demi-saiyajin. "Did you fight Thanatos? Did you even _try_ fighting him? Boxer, on the other hand, did --- and got himself into that condition because of that battle. All I'm saying is that you give him more credit, and nothing more than that."

He smiled. "I trust him, Videl," the demi-saiyajin replied, before his voice dropped drastically. "But not in that condition."

Their daughter, Pan, scrambled up to them and gave them both a hug. "Dad, Mom --- thanks. You've been the best, and you'll always be." She flashed them a wink, accented with the renowned Son smile, then mocked a low bow as if she was wearing one of the gowns she kept in her closet. "I shall be sending a report about the status of our mission as often as I am able to, Your Majesty. Until we meet again."

"Come here, you little---" Videl exclaimed, pulling her daughter once more in a hug. She had the feeling that it would take a long while before they would meet again. "--- twirp." The older woman, as soon as they pulled away from each other, wiped away the tears that threatened to fall out of her eyes. "Do take care of yourself, dear. You know I'll never stop worrying about you."

"And me, too."

"Oh Gokazu, you dope."

The siblings gave each other one final hug, before the younger one broke off and took up a sharp, mocking salute. Pan was actually amused, and not at all intimidated, that she replied with a salute of her own. "I wonder who's the dope," the male demi-saiyajin teased with a michievous gleam in his eyes. He had recovered, all right, because that gleam was genuine. "I mean, who's running off with a knight in a shining _wheelchair?_"

The rest of the crew said their goodbyes, including an emotional one from Keeney that brought tears to the eyes of her mother and her friend. Finally, Goten stepped out of the palace and headed towards the starfighter, but not without stopping by his brother and his sister-in-law to bid them farewell. "Everything's going to be all right, you two. Stop looking like this is the end! We're going to meet again, of course, so don't think of this as a big deal," he said with a smirk, as those words were what his brother told him when they left to rule the planet they were in now fifteen years ago.

The others were unable to do anything but laugh and hug him. Then, the royal couple stepped back, along with the blue-haired genius, and waved one last time as the _Espoir _took off for the planet that they had all called their home at one point in time or another.

A few light-years away, the blue-and-green planet called Chikyuu revolved around its bright orange sun peacefully, as it had been for the past three years. There had been no sign of danger or any threat, unlike what had taken place a few years back, only a tranquility that was remarkably unusual --- perhaps because its kind usually did not last long --- for that span of time.

The remains of Capsule Corporation, the leading company in that world with its capital in the country of Japan, stood undisturbed in between a vast terrain of dust and dirt for those three years. Those who were familiar with the place could not help but wonder where its owner, Bulma Briefs, had gone off to, along with her gruff-faced husband and her four children, who all excelled in the field they got himself in.

But inside the light-deprived alcazar was a mysterious calligraphy worth investigating, although no one ever stayed long enough in the deserted building to find out what it truly meant. It was because those who have seen what was written claimed to have heard voices and loud, maniacal cackles that echoed from one wall to another, making them shiver in terror and leave in a dead run.

Forged in blood, it read:

_Ol og ewnr lmu puzowwowz ek lmu uwq._


End file.
